OEM Trends | Automaker News
Gasgoo: On February 12, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun disclosed via Weibo that the company's robotics team has officially open-sourced Xiaomi-Robotics-0, a 4.7 billion-parameter embodied intelligence VLA model. Built on a Mixture-of-Transformers architecture, the model secured state-of-the-art results across all benchmarks in the LIBERO, CALVIN, and SimplerEnv simulation suites, outperforming 30 competing models.
Cailian Press: Data from Sweden's financial watchdog shows Geely International Hong Kong Limited purchased nearly 1.45 million Volvo Cars shares on February 11, paying roughly 23.99 Swedish kronor per share. Between February 6 and 11, the Geely unit accumulated a total of about 5.84 million shares.
Gasgoo: The Hong Kong Stock Exchange has granted principle approval to Voyah Auto Technology Co., clearing the final regulatory hurdle for its listing. The process is now moving into the execution phase. As previously outlined, Voyah will list via introduction—trading existing shares without issuing new stock or raising immediate capital.
IT Home: Great Wall Motor's Tank brand CEO, Gu Yukun, recently took to Weibo to announce a major launch coming after the Spring Festival. The new vehicle is expected to set a benchmark in China's luxury off-road history. Expected to be a large or mid-size SUV, it is expected to offer enhanced comfort, premium features, and superior off-road capability.
Tianyancha: Guangzhou Automobile Group Technology Co. has increased its registered capital by roughly 25% to 120 million yuan from 96.99 million yuan. Established in January 2017 with Zhang Fan as its legal representative, the company focuses on R&D for engine thermal management and heat balance systems. Shareholder records show it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GAC Group.
Supply Chain News | Component Makers
Gasgoo: The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers released a report on February 12 tracking payment commitments by major automakers. Of the 17 key players that pledged last June to cap payment terms at 60 days—following revised State Council regulations on paying small and medium enterprises—the vast majority have shortened their cycles. The average payment period has fallen to 54 days, a 10-day reduction from last year, with four automakers now averaging under 50 days. The initiative is showing significant results.
Gasgoo: The Amsterdam Enterprise Court has issued a new ruling in the Nexperia case, declining to lift interim measures against Wingtech and its chairman, Zhang Xuezheng, or restore Wingtech's control as a shareholder, while simultaneously launching a formal investigation. Wingtech responded, denouncing the decision as contradictory and logically flawed. The company argued that the court acknowledges the need for further investigation yet maintains interim measures based on incomplete information. Furthermore, Wingtech criticized the court for expanding the probe to current management while allowing the same interim administrators to retain control—a move it claims effectively permits continued operational damage, asset stripping, and disruption to the global supply chain.
Gasgoo: Valeo has announced that its extended reality (XR) gaming technology is now in production on Renault Korea's flagship Filante. It marks the world's first fully integrated XR gaming feature in a mass-market vehicle. Running on the car's existing sensors, cameras, and computing hardware, the system fuses virtual gameplay with the real-world road environment using real-time data, creating an immersive experience synchronized with the vehicle's motion.
Industrial Economy | Focus
Interface News: Data from the China Passenger Car Association on February 12 showed nationwide passenger car retail sales hit 1.544 million units in January, down 13.9% year-on-year. Given complex market dynamics, the sector has recently tended toward a slow start and strong finish. January sales have frequently underperformed since 2020—swinging from a 21% drop in 2020 to a 58% surge in 2024, and a 12% decline in 2025. Against that backdrop, the 13.9% fall in 2026 sits squarely in the middle of the historical volatility.
Gasgoo: Austin-based humanoid robot startup Apptronik has raised $520 million in a new funding round backed by Google and Mercedes-Benz as it pushes to commercialize its industrial robots. A person familiar with the matter said the round values Apptronik at roughly $5 billion.
Gasgoo: Specialized robotics firm XTRONROBOT has closed a Pre-A+ funding round. The investment was led by Qianhai Ark, Hangzhou Runmiao Fund, Xihu Sci-tech Innovation Investment, and the Futian Guidance Fund. Proceeds will be directed toward R&D, with a focus on product iteration and expanding into new business scenarios.
Policy Dynamics | Policy Updates
Cailian Press: On February 12, a reporter asked the Ministry of Commerce whether it supports electric vehicle manufacturers negotiating individually with the EU, following news that the European Commission had approved tariff exemptions for a China-made Volkswagen SUV to be imported under a minimum price and quota system. A Ministry spokesperson replied that China and the EU had already achieved a 'soft landing' on the EV dispute through multiple rounds of talks under WTO rules—a move widely welcomed by the international community. Both sides support Chinese EV firms utilizing price undertakings, for which the EU has issued guidance and pledged non-discriminatory, objective assessments. With the automotive sectors deeply integrated, China hopes the EU will honor the consensus reached by leaders. Beijing expects more companies to align on price undertakings and remains committed to dialogue to foster an open, stable market environment.
Interface News: On February 12, the State Administration for Market Regulation released the 'Auto Industry Price Behavior Compliance Guide.' The directive aims to implement the central government's push to curb cutthroat competition, standardizing pricing practices to foster a healthy market. As a pillar of the economy with a vast supply chain, the auto sector is closely tied to consumers. However, issues like unclear pricing and fraud have undermined fair competition. The Guide clarifies regulatory boundaries and unifies rules, encouraging automakers and dealers to operate compliantly and build a market driven by quality and fair pricing.
Cailian Press: Sichuan's provincial development and finance authorities have issued a notice outlining policies for large-scale equipment updates and consumer trade-ins for 2026. The measures support vehicle trade-ins: individual consumers who sell a registered passenger car and buy a new energy vehicle listed in the tax-exemption catalog, or a fossil-fuel car with a displacement of 2.0 liters or less, qualify for a one-time subsidy. Buyers of qualifying NEVs will receive a subsidy equal to 8% of the purchase price, capped at 15,000 yuan, while those buying qualifying internal combustion engine vehicles get 6%, capped at 13,000 yuan.
Personnel Changes | Executive Moves
LatePost: Honor's former CEO, Zhao Ming, is set to join the board of Qianli Technology, potentially as co-chairman. On the strategic front, Yin Qi will focus on AI technology development, while Zhao Ming will drive the closed-loop strategy for the AI business model.
