Legacy Automakers Follow Tesla's Playbook, Recasting Themselves as AI and Robotics Companies

As traditional car demand softens, established automakers including GM, BYD, Renault and XPeng are increasingly repositioning themselves as artificial intelligence and robotics companies, echoing the strategy Tesla used to redefine what a carmaker can be. The shift, driven by cooling vehicle demand in key markets such as China and Europe, marks a broad industry pivot away from selling cars alone toward building autonomous driving software, factory automation and humanoid robots.