The adoption and application of DC microgrid is rising. The grid combines renewable energy, energy storage systems and end devices, enhancing energy conversion efficiency. It will see more application in EV charging.

Applications such as electric vehicles and energy storage have gradually seen material demands. However, whether the two applications can be operated safely and effectively depends on the battery. Many industry leaders in Taiwan have been investing in those fields or cross-domain developments for many years. Among them, Taiwan startup XING Mobility has not only written a new chapter for battery cooling technology but also successfully found a new breakthrough for Taiwan manufacturers in the international market competition.

BYD just reached the five million vehicle production milestone. Chairman and president Wang Chuanfu said at an event that Chinese automakers should work together to show the world the country's car expertise. He did not convince his competitors. Some even said they will have a fight before collaborating on anything.

Many car component suppliers have announced their financial results in the first half of 2023. While some were optimistic about the future of China's automotive sector, others said the market is chaotic and the demand is hard to measure.

AI chips reportedly being developed by Tesla using heterogeneous integration are driving up demand for IC verification analysis services, according to industry sources.

Tong Hsing Electronic Industries, VisEra Technologies, and Xintec, all of whom are in the CMOS image sensor (CIS) backend sector, have expressed caution regarding their market prospects for the second half of 2023, as demand for handsets has yet to pick up and demand for automotive applications has slowed.

Automotive-grade IC prices are unlikely to drop in the short term, as production costs are rising and major European suppliers are increasing investments in expanding their manufacturing capacity, including a joint venture with TSMC for the Taiwanese chip maker to set up its first wafer fab in Europe, according to industry sources.

Millimeter wave radar sensors hold significant potential in future cars. Therefore, the competition between major IDMs has become more intense, even with chip shortages. Supply chain sources said an IDM is offering "fast-tracked" technique services to companies that want to enter the mmWave radar field but have limited knowledge of the technology, aiming to gain more customers.

With the progress in intelligence and stricter vehicle safety regulations, carmakers are facing a surging demand for sensors. In Level 2 self-driving and beyond, the market for automotive mmWave (millimeter-wave) radar is witnessing intense competition. Recently, Chinese contenders have entered the mmWave market, focusing on advancing the 77GHz mmWave radar. However, they are also grappling with price competition, resulting in a reshaping of the market landscape.

Taiwan-based magnetic component company LinkCom Manufacturing held an earnings call on August 11. General manager Wilson Tan said the company is expanding its magnetic component and wireless charging units. The company will launch new products, increase product applications and scale up its global business simultaneously.

Taiwan-based display driver IC company Himax Technologies saw its sales and gross margin decrease in the second quarter of 2023. The company said demand from automotive electronics has been recovering, expected to bring its gross margin back to over 30%. However, its sales will likely keep declining slightly in the third quarter due to the sluggish consumer electronics market.

China's mature EV supply chain has challenged foreign automotive tier-1 suppliers and their joint ventures. Foreign-based companies have trailed behind the country's battery dominance, having to handle the tense competition from local electric motor makers.

Optiemus Electronics, an Indian electronics manufacturer partnered with Wistron Corporation's Indian subsidiary, Wistron Infocomm Manufacturing (India), is poised to ramp up its production in response to escalating demand. In a recent conversation with Digtimes Asia, A Gururaj, Optiemus' MD, emphasized the firm's intensified commitment to areas like IT Hardware and telecom equipment while hinting at a potential venture into the emerging EV sector.

China's largest new energy vehicle (NEV) maker BYD rolled its five millionth car off the production line on August 9. Chairman and president Wang Chuanfu said automotive electrification is irreversible. China will likely see the NEV penetration rate surpass 60% in 2025.

Taiwan-based LED company Edison Opto Corporation is expected to see an operation boost from the deployment of automotive finished products production lines. The company said the order visibility of automotive lighting is about half a year. More finished products will come in 2024.