OEM TrendIT Home: Geely Auto officially inked a partnership agreement with Austrian auto distributor AutoWallis on April 28. AutoWallis will manage the import and distribution of Geely vehicles in Austria, with the first models slated to hit the market in the second quarter of 2026. Geely said it will enter Austria with a focus on new energy products, initially rolling out the Geely E5 and STARRAY EM-i—offering both pure electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains. Meanwhile, AutoWallis will begin building a local sales and service network to enhance the customer ownership experience.Cailian: On April 28, BYD announced a price adjustment for its "God's Eye B" driver-assist option on select models under the Dynasty, Ocean, and Fangchengbao series. Driven by a surge in global storage hardware costs, the price of the LiDAR-equipped version of the system on select BYD models will rise from 9,900 yuan to 12,000 yuan. Specific policies vary by model and are listed on official channels. The adjustment takes effect on May 1, 2026, though customers who placed deposits on or before April 30, 2026, will be locked in at the original price.IT Home: Li Auto recently held a signing ceremony with the UAE's Al Fahim Motors and Saudi Arabia's Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors, marking its entry into the Middle East with its Li L series. A company executive noted that the family-focused design of the Li L series, combined with its extended-range technology, aligns perfectly with Middle Eastern consumer demands. Beyond the region, Li Auto also plans to expand into Europe.Gasgoo: The Hongqi brand and real-time 3D content creation platform Unity China have officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement. The partnership will focus on three pillars: forward-looking design debuts, end-to-end R&D collaboration, and ecosystem building. By combining Hongqi's engineering and mass-production capabilities with Unity's real-time 3D rendering technology, the two aim to elevate the smart cockpit experience.Cailian: Chery's Mojia Robotics recently announced it had secured an order for 1,000 smart police robots, with the first 100 units delivered. Chery Group Chairman Yin Tongyue highlighted the company's edge in robotics, noting that robots and smart vehicles share the same foundational technologies in perception, planning, and control. "A smart car is essentially a mobile robot," he said.LatePost: Multiple independent sources indicate Leapmotor plans to launch a second brand in 2027. Positioned above 300,000 yuan, the new marque will operate on a separate sales network distinct from Leapmotor's existing channels. The company has not yet commented publicly. Leapmotor's current portfolio spans the A, B, C, and D series, ranging from under 100,000 yuan to roughly 270,000 yuan. The A series targets the entry-level market, the B series covers mainstream family needs, the C series focuses on mid-size vehicles, and the D series is tasked with elevating the brand's premium positioning. Supply Chain NewsFast Tech: CATL has officially signed a strategic partnership with HyperStrong for sodium-ion energy storage batteries in Ningde, Fujian. The deal includes a 60GWh order over three years. As CATL's first strategic partner in sodium-ion storage, HyperStrong will collaborate closely on R&D, product application, and project deployment.Gasgoo: Guidance and JSJ (Julang Intelligent) have formed a strategic partnership. The collaboration will focus on integrating spatiotemporal intelligence into high-level ADAS domain controllers, aiming to streamline the full chain of positioning, orientation, and domain control. The goal is to accelerate mass production of L2+ to L4 autonomous driving solutions while expanding into embodied intelligence to build a technological moat in multi-scenario perception.Gasgoo: Pateo announced a subscription agreement with Sanfeng Holding Management to issue new H shares under a general authorization, bringing in long-term strategic investment to boost its automotive AI technology and business expansion. Sanfeng Holding has agreed to subscribe to 895,980 new H shares at 127.35 Hong Kong dollars per share. The new shares represent about 1.19% of Pateo's existing issued H stock, and roughly 1.18% of the enlarged share capital post-issuance.Gasgoo: At the 2026 Beijing Auto Show, ModelBest and TINNOVE announced plans to deepen their collaboration. While currently working together on products like the AI Box, the two companies will shift focus toward on-device, multi-modal large models to jointly develop the next generation of smart cockpit platforms.IT Home: Reports suggest oil giant Shell is developing a new concept car to showcase next-generation EV technology. Shell aims to prove that EVs can achieve faster charging, higher efficiency, and lower lifecycle carbon emissions. The vehicle, dubbed the "Triple 10 Challenge," is a small SUV expected to be fully unveiled in June. It utilizes technology from the UK that Shell says is ready for real-world application.Industrial EconomyCailian: On April 28, as rising fuel costs driven by recent geopolitical tensions bite, more and more UAE consumers are turning their attention toward electric and hybrid vehicles. According to data from leading local marketplace dubizzle, interest in EVs has surged, with interactions jumping 24% in the first week of April—far outpacing the 5% growth seen for gasoline and diesel cars.Policy SituationJiemian News: A deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission said at a State Council briefing on April 28 that the government aims to improve livelihood services to enhance quality of life. Citing urban parking as a priority, the official stated that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, authorities will guide local governments to upgrade parking infrastructure. The focus will be on older residential communities, revitalizing existing resources, and repurposing idle or corner land for new facilities to alleviate parking shortages.Cailian: Guangdong province officially released its 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development on April 28. The blueprint emphasizes developing core intelligent industries, including basic software like operating systems and development frameworks, as well as key hardware such as high-end training chips and edge computing processors. It calls for cultivating competitive digital clusters and promoting the industrialization of industrial, service, and specialized robots. The plan also targets the accelerated development of intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs), including the construction of test zones and vehicle-road infrastructure. Furthermore, the province aims to expand the market for consumer and public service smart devices while developing high-end terminals. A key focus will be integrating "large and small brains" to drive AI-native reconstruction, with dual innovation centers for intelligent agents and terminals supporting the broader Guangdong Artificial Intelligence Innovation Center.