Topic: Autonomous Driving

Today we highlight China's newly announced 2026 consumer subsidy policy, which for the first time includes mobile phones and tablets, offering a 15% discount capped at 500 RMB. This strategic expansion aims to stimulate the consumer electronics market by supporting upgrades to energy-efficient and smart devices. In manufacturing news, TSMC has officially entered the 'N2 era' by starting mass production of its 2nm process this quarter, utilizing Gate-all-around (GAA) technology to drive performance for next-gen AI and mobile hardware. We also cover Xiaomi's technical response to the 17 Ultra's zoom ring concerns, clarifying that the structural movement is a deliberate design for durability. Meanwhile, rumors suggest the 2026 M6 MacBook Pro will finally integrate cellular connectivity and touchscreens, marking a significant shift in Apple's hardware philosophy. These developments, alongside NVIDIA's finalized $5 billion investment in Intel, signal a period of intense competition and technological convergence.

Today we report on several pivotal developments in the tech and finance sectors. The Ministry of Finance has confirmed that consumer product replacement subsidies will continue through 2025 to bolster domestic demand. In a significant AI benchmark from Peking University, researchers found that top models, including a version labeled GPT-5(High), currently only match the reasoning skills of low-level chemistry undergraduates and struggle with visual-chemical semantics. Tesla is signaling its intent to bring autonomous transport to China by recruiting Robotaxi low-voltage electrical engineers in Shanghai. Meanwhile, the global DRAM market is facing a severe supply crunch driven by AI hardware demand, with price hikes potentially reaching 45% by late next year. Lastly, a landmark legal ruling in Beijing has declared it illegal for companies to dismiss employees solely because their roles were replaced by AI, establishing a major precedent for labor protections in the evolving technological landscape.