Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving unit, has pulled ahead in the robotaxi race, reporting a fivefold surge in rides over the past year to 250,000 paid trips per week as of April. However, as Tesla prepares its autonomous ride-hailing service, Waymo now faces pressure to scale faster and reduce costs, beginning with how its vehicles are manufactured.

As TSMC expands its presence in Japan, Taiwan and Japan are deepening academic collaboration to address the growing demand for semiconductor talent. National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) and Kyushu University recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Fukuoka to jointly advance education, research, and innovation in the semiconductor sector.

Beijing is stepping up efforts to contain a worsening price war in China’s electric vehicle (EV) industry, as destructive discounting threatens market stability and broader economic health. In response, top regulators, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), have launched a joint initiative aimed at curbing irrational competition and restoring order across the sector.