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Industry News

driving cars, unmanned taxi and unmanned vehicle According to Photonics Industry & Technology
operation plans. On the other hand, private enterprises Development Association (PIDA), aside from Taiwan,
such as Foxconn, Wistron and Quanta all have GM ’s Cruise, Tesla, and Mobileye will deploy
invested in self-driving cars, expecting rapid growth in unmanned taxi in the three cities of Paris in France,
the future. Foxconn recently signed an agreement with Tel Aviv-Yafo in Israel, and Daegu in South Korea,
leading automaker Fiat Chrysler (FCA) to establish a showing that the market of self-driving has become
joint venture to develop and produce key components a new business opportunity for any international
for electric vehicles. Foxconn is responsible for companies.
software information and mobile technology, and
cooperates with large-scale information service Surprisingly, in the global self-driving market, up
providers, including Alibaba, Tencent, with initial plans to 70% of its components are supplied by Taiwan,
to target China’s domestic market. based on its solid industrial foundation. However, giant
foreign manufacturers win in the integration of brands
Wistron and Chunghwa Telecom carried out the and systems, mostly with closed designs, attempting
project under the National Development Council to seize the opportunity to develop standards, which
last year, releasing the first domestic autonomous is exactly what Taiwan needs to catch up with. That
driving information integration platform aimed at smart being said, Taiwan does not need to sell itself short.
transportation life. It is expected that the second phase In fact, the world is still exploring the technology of
of the trial will be conducted in Qingpu, Taoyuan, as self-driving cars. No one can claim to have absolute
well as see completion of a testing ground for self- superiority. Therefore, Taiwan is not far behind and
driving cars, and the launch of an unmanned taxi still has a chance to catch up, though the focus now
team. Quanta has been developing AI, 5G, and cloud is to integrate the scattered strength into a force that
applications in recent years. In terms of the self- cannot be underestimated.
driving car, it has partnered with American automotive
manufacturers to develop the first unmanned car,
which has been tested on roads in closed US fields.

President Tsai Ing-wen drove the ARTC self-
driving car to experience test scenarios in the
first testing facility. (Photo courtesy of Automotive
Research Testing Center)

The Autonomous City Bus accommodates 19
passengers.
(Photo courtesy of Taoyuan Government)