Global Auto Industry News Brief

International Trade & Policy

UK Resists EU Pressure, National Interest Guides China‑Related Trade Decisions The UK has drawn a red line over EU demands for higher import tariffs on Chinese vehicles. UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds stated that despite political pressure to impose duties in exchange for closer EU‑UK economic ties, Britain will not yield to external calls for tariffs. Trade policy will be decided based on UK national interest, though he did not rule out potential tariff hikes at a future stage.

Auto Leaders Warn: Excluding UK from “Made‑in‑Europe” Rules Risks Supply‑Chain Damage Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes‑Benz and President of ACEA, warned that EU proposed “Made‑in‑Europe” industrial policy shutting out the UK would erode European automotive competitiveness. Deeply‑integrated cross‑border vehicle and component production between the UK and EU will be disrupted by policy boundaries.

Legacy OEM Updates

Hyundai Motor Group Unveils Record KRW 125.2 Trillion Domestic Investment for 2026‑2030 Hyundai Motor Group will invest KRW 125.2 trillion (USD 90.5 billion) in South Korea over five years. KRW 50.5 trillion will go to AI, SDV, electrification, robotics and hydrogen; KRW 38.5 trillion for R&D; KRW 36.2 trillion for manufacturing upgrades and GBC construction. It marks one of Hyundai’s largest‑ever home‑market investment packages.

Stellantis Seeks Chinese Partners to Lift European Factory Utilization Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa aims to lift European plant utilization from 60 % to 80 % via cooperation with Chinese automakers. Analysts including Jefferies estimate at least one million units of under‑utilized vehicle capacity across Europe.

Stellantis & Leapmotor to Build Small EVs in Italy Stellantis CTO Ned Curic confirmed at Paris Motor Show that the company will produce small EVs at its Pomigliano plant in Italy, leveraging the jointly‑developed EV platform with Leapmotor. The project combines Stellantis’ small‑car manufacturing know‑how and Leapmotor’s rapid vehicle development capability.

BMW Invests Over €100 Million for E‑Drive Expansion in Austria BMW Group is pouring more than €100 million into e‑drive production lines at its Steyr plant in Austria. Once one of BMW’s largest global engine facilities, Steyr is transforming into a key production hub for electrified powertrain components.

Electrification Market

XPeng Targets 500,000 European Annual Sales by 2030, Aiming to Overtake Ford & Opel XPeng sets an ambitious goal of 500,000 annual sales in Europe by 2030, outpacing legacy brands Ford and Opel. Ford delivered over 426,000 units and Opel registered 400,000 vehicles in Europe last year.

US EV Market Slumps: Q1‑Q3 Sales Drop 30.7 % Year‑on‑Year Reuters reports US EV sales fell 30.7 % January‑September 2026. EVs accounted for merely 6 % of total US new‑vehicle sales, down from 8.5 % in the same period last year, according to Motor Intelligence.

Canadian Consumers Delay EV Purchases Awaiting Chinese Brand Arrival A survey of roughly 2,800 Canadian consumers shows 42 % of respondents intending to buy an EV are holding off purchases. Respondents expect incoming Chinese auto brands to deliver price‑competitive and technologically‑advanced electric offerings.

Intelligent & Autonomous Driving

US Regulator Reviews Tesla Robotaxi Speeding Complaints Covering ~1,000 Vehicles NHTSA has opened screening on a defect petition concerning 2026 Tesla Robotaxi Model Y and Cybercab. Complaints allege possible speeding within school zones under autonomous operation. This is only petition assessment, not formal defect confirmation or recall order.

300+ Tesla Cybercabs Operate in Austin; Dallas Next Launch City More than 300 driverless Tesla Cybercab units are in service in Austin, Texas. Service scale has multiplied eight‑fold within 30 days of launch, with Dallas lined up as the next roll‑out location.

Pony.ai Robotaxi Launches Testing in Manchester, UK On October 14, Pony.ai rolled out its 7th‑generation Robotaxi for road testing in Manchester in partnership with Uber and Verne. The move came less than one week after its London project announcement.

Supply‑Chain & Industrial Policy

Valeo CEO Calls for EU Local‑Content Threshold Raised to 75 % Valeo CEO Christophe Perillat warns around 150 European automotive factories face closure risks unless EU lifts the proposed automotive local‑content requirement from 70 % to 75 %。