Inside a partnership showing how open-source platforms and startups are scaling autonomous driving beyond the lab.
Updated
January 8, 2026 6:30 PM
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A Robotaxi prototype developed by TIER IV. PHOTO: TIER IV
Autonomous driving is often discussed in terms of futuristic cars and distant timelines. This investment is about something more immediate. Japan-based TIER IV has invested in Turing Drive, a Taiwan startup that builds autonomous driving systems designed for controlled, everyday environments such as factories, ports, airports and industrial campuses. The investment establishes a capital and business alliance between the two companies, with a shared focus on developing autonomous driving technology and expanding operations across Asia.
Rather than targeting open roads and city traffic, Turing Drive’s work centres on places where vehicles follow fixed routes and move at low speeds. These include logistics hubs, manufacturing facilities and commercial sites where automation is already part of daily operations. According to the release, Turing Drive has deployments across Taiwan, Japan and other regions and works closely with vehicle manufacturers to integrate autonomous systems into special-purpose vehicles.
The investment also connects Turing Drive more closely with Autoware, an open-source autonomous driving software ecosystem supported by TIER IV. Turing Drive joined the Autoware Foundation in September 2024 and develops its systems using this shared software framework. TIER IV’s own Pilot.Auto platform, which is built around Autoware, is used across applications such as factory transport, public transit, freight movement and autonomous mobility services.
Through the alliance, TIER IV plans to work with Turing Drive to further develop autonomous driving systems for these controlled environments, while strengthening its presence in Taiwan and the broader Asia-Pacific region. The collaboration brings together software development and on-the-ground deployment experience within markets where autonomous driving is already being tested in real operational settings.
“This partnership with Turing Drive represents a significant step forward in accelerating the deployment of autonomous driving across Asia”, said TIER IV CEO Shinpei Kato. “At TIER IV, our mission has always been to make autonomous driving accessible to all. By collaborating with Turing Drive, which has demonstrated remarkable achievements in real-world deployments in Taiwan, we aim to deliver autonomous driving that enables a safer, more sustainable and more inclusive society”.
“We are thrilled to establish this strategic alliance with TIER IV, a global leader in open-source autonomous driving”, said Weilung Chen, chairman of Turing Drive. “In Taiwan, autonomous driving deployment is gaining significant momentum, particularly across logistics hubs, ports, airports and industrial campuses. By combining our field expertise with TIER IV's world-class Pilot.Auto platform, we aim to accelerate the development of practical, commercially viable mobility services powered by autonomous driving”. Overall, the investment highlights how autonomous driving in Asia is being shaped by operational needs and gradual integration, rather than headline-grabbing demonstrations.
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The US$50.8 million deal strengthens TECO’s push into modular infrastructure and faster data center deployment across Southeast Asia.
Updated
May 26, 2026 5:39 PM
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. PHOTO: UNSPLASH
TECO Electric & Machinery is expanding further into Southeast Asia’s AI data center infrastructure market through a new acquisition in Malaysia.
The Taiwan-based company has signed an agreement to acquire approximately 78 percent of Malaysian engineering firm Dynaciate Engineering in a deal valued at around MYR 200 million (US$50.8 million). According to TECO, the acquisition is aimed at strengthening its modular data center manufacturing capabilities and supporting its expansion across Southeast Asia’s data center infrastructure sector.
Under the agreement, Dynaciate will become TECO’s global manufacturing hub for modular data center and power equipment products. The company will also serve as an engineering hub supporting TECO’s regional expansion efforts, particularly in AI data center infrastructure projects.
TECO Chairman Morris Li said the integration between both companies has improved execution efficiency and increased the company’s in-house modular prefabrication capabilities. According to the company, the collaboration has reduced data center delivery timelines to as little as six months.
Dynaciate is headquartered in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Its facilities span approximately 36,000 square meters and include eight production buildings focused on stainless steel and carbon steel fabrication. The company said the site is also eligible for export tax incentives that support future global supply chain deployment.
According to TECO, Dynaciate has experience in engineering, steel fabrication and large-scale industrial projects for multinational corporations. The company added that Dynaciate has expanded into the data center engineering market since 2025 through projects involving international cloud service provider clients.
TECO estimates that after the acquisition, around 65 percent of future data center-related revenue will come from modular data centers and prefabricated products, while the remaining 35 percent will come from AI data center engineering projects. The company also forecasts that data center-related revenue within its Power & Energy Business Group will rise from below 10 percent to 30 percent this year.
Dynaciate CEO Ng Kim Thiea said the company is entering a new phase of growth through the partnership with TECO. He added that Dynaciate has extensive experience supporting engineering and industrial projects across the region.
The acquisition marks a further expansion of TECO’s presence in the AI data center infrastructure sector as companies continue increasing investments in modular infrastructure and regional engineering capacity.