Hello dear Getquin Community,

This year's IAA Mobility in Munich showed that the automotive industry is on the verge of a turning point. With over 30 percent more exhibitors than in 2023 and numerous premieres from Audi, $BMW (+0.88%) BMW, $MBG (+0.62%) Mercedes, $VOW3 (+1.07%) VW, Opel and Chinese challengers such as BYD and $1211 (-0.54%) BYD and $9868 (+1.77%) XPeng, it became clear that electromobility has now become the standard. However, behind these new platforms and concepts lies an even bigger topic, namely autonomous driving and the robotaxis of the future.

In order to present this field in a clear and transparent way for investors, I have broken down the entire value chain into individual sectors. These include automotive and suppliers, semiconductors and technology, communication and infrastructure, software and algorithms, logistics and transportation, insurance and finance, energy and infrastructure, battery and propulsion, maps and mapping, and safety and cybersecurity. Within each sector, I have analyzed the big players, the hidden champions and the blade manufacturers and highlighted my favorites in each case with a brief explanation. @Multibagger 😎

My aim was to develop as comprehensive a picture as possible that shows where the opportunities lie in this new industry and how investors can position themselves at an early stage. Perhaps the IAA 2025 was not just a car show, but actually the starting signal for the next big investment ecosystem around robotaxis and autonomous driving. If I have overlooked any important aspects or if a categorization was not quite precise, I look forward to your comments @BamBamInvest
@Epi
😎 and exciting additions @All-in-or-nothing 😎 Together we can understand this topic even better and learn from each other. @Tenbagger2024 😎

Feel free to leave a 👍. I wish you every success with your investments 🚀

🚘 Automotive & suppliers

Big player:

$TSLA (-2.86%) Tesla - pioneer in autopilot/FSD, vertical integration, huge database

$MBG (+0.62%) Mercedes-Benz Group - EQS/EQE with Level 3 approval in Germany, strong regulatory expertise

$BMW (+0.88%) BMW - New class platform, e-models with prepared sensor technology & level 3 approaches

$VOW (+1.73%) VW Volkswagen - Cariad software unit, massive push towards ADAS/AV

$7203 (+0.38%) Toyota (Japan) - largest OEM, cooperation with Pony.ai and Denso

$GOOGL (+2.3%) Alphabet Waymo (private/Alphabet $GOOGL) - robotaxi pioneer in the USA

$9888 (+1.88%) Baidu Apollo (9888.HK) - Robotaxi & Full-Stack AV in China

$Pony.ai (private, China) - Robotaxi & partnerships with Toyota

👉 Favorite: Alphabet Waymo ($GOOGL (+2.3%))

Moat through years of data collection in real operation, deep AI integration, financially secured by Alphabet. Compounder potential, as Waymo can scale as a platform.

Hidden champions:

$APTV (+0.68%) Aptiv - supplier for ADAS, sensor fusion, E/E architectures

$MG (-0.01%) Magna International - produces complete vehicle systems including autonomous components

$ZF Friedrichshafen (private) - German giant in steering and braking systems for AVs

Veoneer (private, formerly listed) - safety software, vision, sensor technology

$SHA0 (+1.28%) Schaeffler AG (DE, Germany, Xetra) - global supplier of drive, chassis and intelligent steering systems. Important for e-mobility and redundancy solutions in autonomous driving.

👉 Favorite: Aptiv ($APTV (+0.68%)
)

High barriers to entry through system integration, broad customer base (OEM-agnostic), strong cash flow and close partner of major car manufacturers.

Blade manufacturer:

$NVDA (+1.29%) Nvidia - Drive Orin / Thor chips for OEMs, standard in the AV sector

$QCOM (+0.25%) Qualcomm - Snapdragon Ride platform for AVs

$INTC (-5.97%) Intel Mobileye - EyeQ chips, one of the market leaders in ADAS

$LAZR (+23.53%) Luminar Technologies - Lidar, partnerships with Volvo, Mercedes, SAIC

$OUST Ouster, Inc. - Lidar solutions

$INVZ Innoviz (INVZ) - Lidar sensor technology, cooperation with VW & BMW

👉 Favorite: Nvidia ($NVDA (+1.29%)
)

Dominance in high-performance AI chips, ecosystem with software (CUDA, DriveSim), network effects through partnerships with almost all OEMs. Classic compounder, enormous moat due to technology and developer lock-in.

Takeaway:

In the automotive & supplier sector, it's not just who sells the most cars, but who has mastered the best technology stack for autonomy. OEMs work closely with specialized suppliers and blade manufacturers. Investors should focus less on unit numbers and more on data basis, software expertise and partnerships. The real levers often lie with suppliers and technology enablers, not just the traditional car brands.

💻 Semiconductors & technology

Big players:

$NVDA (+1.29%) Nvidia - GPUs & AV chips (Drive Orin, Drive Thor), software ecosystem

$QCOM (+0.25%) Qualcomm - Snapdragon Ride platform, automotive pipeline >30 billion USD

$INTC (-5.97%) Intel / Mobileye - EyeQ chips, ADAS market leader

$AMD (+5.4%) AMD - GPU/CPU, entry into automotive AI compute

👉 Favorite: Nvidia ($NVDA (+1.29%)
) Unique position: Technological moat through CUDA ecosystem, enabler of almost all AV developments, quasi-monopoly in high-end compute. Classic compounder with long-term growth leverage.

Hidden champions:

$LAZR (+23.53%) Luminar Technologies - Lidar supplier, partnerships (Volvo, Mercedes, SAIC)

$INVZ Innoviz Tech. - Lidar, BMW & VW as customers

$KOTMY Koito Manufacturing - world market leader in automotive lighting, entry into lidar through Cepton integration, important role as supplier for OEMs

$AMBA (+2.94%) Ambarella (AMBA) - camera chips & vision processors for AV

$STMPA (-2.28%) STMicroelectronics (France/Italy, Euronext) - automotive microcontrollers, sensors, power electronics. European counterpart to Infineon.

$AIXA (+1.34%) Aixtron (Germany, Xetra) - supplies manufacturing equipment for SiC and GaN semiconductors, indispensable for power electronics in EV/AV.

$ELG (+3.01%) Elmos Semiconductor (Germany, Xetra) - niche player for mixed-signal semiconductors in automotive, e.g. for radar and driver assistance.

👉 Favorite: Luminar ($LAZR (+23.53%)
) Clear technical USP, strategic OEM deals in series production, high barriers to entry in lidar technology. Scalable compounder in a niche market.

Blade manufacturer:

$TSM (+1.4%) Taiwan Semiconductor - production of all relevant automotive chips

$ASML (+0.41%) ASML Holding - Lithography monopolist, without ASML no AI/AV chips

$EQIX (+1.66%) Equinix - data center colocation for AI training & simulations

$DLR (+3.56%) Digital Realty - cloud and data infrastructure

$AMZN (+1.93%) Amazon AWS - Cloud resources for AI training, simulation & OTA updates

👉 Favorite: ASML ($ASML (+0.41%)
) Monopoly on EUV lithography, no advanced chips for autonomous driving without ASML. Moat through technology and patents, classic compounder.

Takeaway:

Semiconductors & technology are the foundation of autonomous driving. While Nvidia plays the central role with computing power, lidar specialists such as Luminar ensure perception. The real shovelware winner, however, is ASML, without whose machines there would be no AV chips. Investors will find the deepest technological moats in the entire value chain here.

📡 Communication & infrastructure

Big players:

$ERIC B (-0.37%) Ericsson - 5G/6G networks, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) applications, global player

$NOK (+1.89%) Nokia - 5G/Edge solutions for automotive & smart cities

$QCOM (+0.25%) Qualcomm - Snapdragon Digital Chassis, V2X chipsets, automotive pipeline

Huawei (private, China) - strong player in 5G/AV communication, partnerships in Asia

👉 Favorite: Qualcomm ($QCOM (+0.25%)
) Wide moat through IP in mobile communications, at the same time deep automotive integration via Snapdragon Ride & Digital Chassis. Compounder, as economies of scale in chips + licenses worldwide.

Hidden champions:

$Cohda Wireless (private, Australia) - pioneer for V2X communication, software solutions for OEMs

$Autotalks (private, Israel, acquisition by Qualcomm planned) - leader in dedicated V2X chips

Commsignia (private, Hungary) - V2X middleware & roadside units

👉 Favorite: Autotalks (private, Israel)

Technology leader in dedicated V2X chips, unique IP portfolio. Strong takeover candidate (Qualcomm already active), giving moat + exit potential.

Shovel manufacturer:

$CSCO (-0.02%) Cisco Systems - network infrastructure for automotive, cloud & edge

$AMT (+0.47%) American Tower - cell towers & infrastructure, benefits from 5G expansion

$CCI (-0.18%) Crown Castle - radio tower and fiber optic infrastructure (mainly USA)

$EQIX (+1.66%) Equinix - data centers, basis for edge computing and OTA updates

$DLR (+3.56%) Digital Realty - colocation & data center capacity for simulations and AV data

👉 Favorite: Equinix ($EQIX (+1.66%)
)

Global leader in data center colocation, benefits from the edge computing trend. Strong moat due to network effects & high switching costs. Long-term compounder.

Takeaway:

Communication & infrastructure are the silent cornerstones of autonomous driving. Without low-latency networks, edge data centers and V2X communication, no AV can drive safely. While Qualcomm forms the technological bridge between chip and infrastructure, hidden champions such as Autotalks secure niche leadership. On the blade side, Equinix remains unbeatable, as every OEM & service provider needs computing power at the edge.

🤖 Software, platforms & algorithms

Big Player:

$GOOGL (+2.3%) Alphabet / Waymo - Robotaxi pioneer, full-stack AV software, years of database

$TSLA (-2.86%) Tesla - FSD, Dojo supercomputer, vertical integration incl. fleet

$9888 (+1.88%) Baidu Apollo (HK) - largest robotaxi network in China, full-stack solution

$UBER (+0.22%) Uber - AV platform in partnership (e.g. with Momenta), scaling via existing user base

👉 Favorite: Alphabet / Waymo ($GOOGL (+2.3%)
)

Unbeatable moat due to millions of real driving kilometers + simulations, strong financial base via Alphabet, focus on platform scaling (robotaxi, licensing model). Compounder with global expansion potential.

Hidden champions:

$Momenta (private, China) - L4 software for OEMs, partner of Mercedes, Toyota

$AUR Aurora Innovation - software + sensor technology for truck autonomy, partner PACCAR, Volvo

$Argo AI (private, USA) - formerly Ford/VW, now partly continued through partner projects

$Oxbotica (private, UK) - modular AV software, focus on industrial & logistics applications

👉 Favorite: Aurora Innovation ($AUR
)

Clear focus on trucking (biggest lever in the AV market), long-term OEM partnerships, strong moat due to specialization in long-haul autonomy. Still young, but strong compounder potential.

Shovel manufacturer:

$PLTR (+2.21%) Palantir - data management, simulation & AI analysis for AV training

$SNOW (+1.64%) Snowflake - Cloud data platform, relevant for AV data streams

$MSFT (+0.58%) Microsoft Azure - cloud & simulation platform for OEMs

$AMZN (+1.93%) AWS - largest provider for AI training & simulations in the AV sector

$ADBE (+0.07%) Adobe - Simulation & Digital Twin Tools (via partnerships)

👉 Favorite: Palantir ($PLTR (+2.21%)
)

Deep integration in data pipelines, modular platform for simulation & decision logic. Moat due to lock-in effects with major customers, strong compounder with AI scaling.

Takeaway:

Software and algorithms are the real key to autonomous driving. Vehicles are becoming "data centers on wheels" and only the companies with data, simulation and AI stacks can dominate the market in the long term. Waymo provides the scalable robotaxi ecosystem, Aurora scores with its trucking focus, and Palantir ensures that data streams remain manageable. This is where the biggest margins are generated, not in the sale of hardware.

🚚 Logistics & transportation

Big player:

$AUR Aurora Innovation - focus on autonomous trucks, partnerships with Volvo & PACCAR

$TuSimple (private, USA) - pioneer for autonomous trucks, strong in the USA and China, currently undergoing restructuring

$AMZN (+1.93%) Amazon / Zoox - Robotaxi & autonomous delivery services, integration into e-commerce and Prime

$FDX (+0.9%) FedEx - test programs for autonomous delivery (cooperations with Aurora, Nuro, among others)

$DHL (-0.08%) Deutsche Post DHL - pilot projects with autonomous delivery vehicles & drones

👉 Favorite: Amazon / Zoox ($AMZN (+1.93%)
)

Moat through e-commerce ecosystem, integration of AV in the last mile, strong financial power and scalability. Compounder due to synergies between logistics and technology.

Hidden champions:

$Nuro (private, USA) - autonomous delivery vehicles specifically for the last mile

$Einride (private, Sweden) - electric autonomous trucks, focus on freight & sustainability

$Gatik (private, Canada/USA) - AV for medium distances (B2B supply chains, e.g. Walmart)

$Starship Technologies (private, Estonia/USA) - autonomous delivery robots for urban logistics

👉 Favorite: Gatik (private, Canada/USA)

Clear business model: "middle-mile" logistics, profitable niche market with predictable routes. Moat through early commercial contracts (Walmart). Compounder potential through scaling in the B2B sector.

Shovel manufacturer:

$CAT (+0.67%) Caterpillar - autonomous technologies for construction machinery & mining, know-how transferable

$DE (+0.3%) Deere & Co - autonomous agricultural machinery, similar technology stacks as for trucks

$ISRG (-0.31%) Intuitive Surgical - example of high-end automation (here as a cross-reference for AV tech transfer)

$UPS (+0.87%) United Parcel Service - logistics infrastructure, partner for AV integration

$R (+2.54%) Ryder System - fleet management, leasing and AV test integration

👉 Favorite: Deere & Co ($DE (+0.3%)
)

Autonomy already in use (precision farming), moat through data & technology in the agricultural sector. Compounder quality, as know-how in navigation & autonomy is transferable to transportation/logistics.

Takeaway:

Logistics is one of the first markets where autonomous driving brings real profitability. Trucks and delivery services benefit from 24/7 operation without drivers, while the last mile (Nuro, Gatik) opens up new business models. Amazon is the most powerful player through vertical integration, while hidden champions like Gatik occupy targeted profitable niche markets. Shovel manufacturers such as Deere supply the already proven autonomy stacks.

🏦 Insurance & finance

Major players:

$ALV (+0.37%) Allianz - the world's largest insurer, involved in AV pilot projects at an early stage

$MUV2 (+0.37%) Munich Re - reinsurance, develops models for AV risk transfer

$CS (+0.15%) Axa - active in AV insurance testing & research

$BRK.B (+0.03%) Berkshire Hathaway - large presence in the US motor insurance market via Geico

👉 Favorite: Munich Re ($MUV2 (+0.37%)
)

Moat through global reinsurance strength, pioneer in new risk models for AVs. Compounder characteristics through diversification and ability to insure new markets (cyber, AV, climate) at an early stage.

Hidden champions:

$LMND (+1.32%) Lemonade - digital insurance, AI-driven, quickly adaptable for AV policies

$Root Insurance (private/USA, formerly listed) - data-driven car insurance, use of driving data

$Next Insurance (private, USA) - platform approach, simple onboarding for new risks

$Wefox (private, Germany) - digital platform for insurance brokerage, flexible for new products

👉 Favorite: Lemonade ($LMND (+1.32%)
)

Pure digital insurer with AI-driven underwriting. Moat through data and automation approach. Still small, but compounder potential as scalable platform can be used in new markets such as AV policies.

Shovel manufacturer:

$SREN (+0.82%) Swiss Re - global reinsurer, benefits from increasing AV risk volume

$VRSK Verisk Analytics - data & risk analytics for insurers, AV risk models

$GWRE (-0.14%) Guidewire Software - software solutions for insurance companies, customization for AV policies

$FICO (+2.66%) Fair Isaac - Analytics & risk modeling, increasingly relevant for complex AV data

👉 Favorite: Verisk Analytics ($VRSK
)

Moat through exclusive data pools & analytics. Enabler for almost all insurers. Compounder character, as growing demand for data & models in new markets such as AVs.

Takeaway:

Autonomous driving shifts liability from the driver to the manufacturer or software provider. Insurers need to develop new products, reinsurers and data providers are becoming more important. Munich Re is protecting the industry, Lemonade is testing digital models and Verisk is providing the data intelligence without which no AV insurance can function. Investors will find silent but indispensable winners of the upheaval here.

🛡️ Security & Cybersecurity

Big players:

$PANW (+1.2%) Palo Alto Networks - market leader in network security, focus on cloud & IoT, relevant for connected vehicles

$CRWD (+0.31%) CrowdStrike ($CRWD) - endpoint security, strong platform for AV endpoints and fleets

$CHKP (-0.12%) Check Point ($CHKP) - Security appliances & firewalls, focus on embedded & IoT

$CSCO (-0.02%) Cisco Systems ($CSCO) - Network security + automotive infrastructure

👉 Favorite: Palo Alto Networks ($PANW (+1.2%)
)

moat due to the width of the platform, which extends from the data center to the vehicle. With the $CYBR (+0.72%) -integration, PANW has also covered the topic of identity security. Compounder properties through continuous expansion, high customer loyalty and a strong M&A strategy.

Hidden champions:

$CON (+1.4%) Argus Cyber Security (private, subsidiary of Continental) - specialized in automotive cybersecurity

$Upstream Security (private, Israel) - cloud-based cyber platform specifically for connected vehicles

Karamba Security (private, Israel) - embedded security for control units (ECUs)

$4704 (+0.04%) VicOne (subsidiary of Trend Micro) - AV-specific threat analysis

👉 Favorite: Argus Cyber Security (private, part of $CON (+1.4%)
Continental)

Pioneer in the automotive segment, deep integration in OEMs. Moat through early partnerships and specialization in vehicle architectures.

Shovel manufacturer:

$AKAM (+1.3%) Akamai - Content Delivery & Edge Security, relevant for OTA updates

$FTNT (+0.77%) Fortinet - Network & IoT security, broad base

$ZS Zscaler - cloud-native security for data traffic between AV & cloud

$NET (+1.42%) Cloudflare - infrastructure protection, DDoS protection for fleets & updates

$BB (+3.45%) BlackBerry QNX - Operating system & security framework for automotive

👉 Favorite: BlackBerry ($BB (+3.45%)
)

Moat by QNX, which is already running in millions of vehicles. Strong lock-in with OEMs. Compounder potential if QNX continues to scale as a security operating system for AV architectures.

Takeaway:

Cybersecurity is the nervous system of autonomous driving. Without secure communication, OTA updates and fleet protection, AV is inconceivable. Palo Alto Networks provides the necessary breadth and depth, Argus secures the vehicles themselves, and BlackBerry QNX provides the foundation in the control units. Investors are relying on the invisible gatekeepers of tomorrow's mobility.

⚡ Energy & infrastructure

Big player:

$EBK (+0.15%) EnBW - operator of charging infrastructure in Germany, expansion of fast-charging parks

$SHEL (+0.31%) Shell - massive entry into e-mobility & charging infrastructure, partnerships with OEMs

$BP (-1%) BP - charging and energy infrastructure via bp pulse, global rollout

$TSLA (-2.86%) Tesla ($TSLA) - Supercharger network as AV backbone, potential licensing model

👉 Favorite: Tesla ($TSLA (-2.86%)
)

Moat due to world's largest fast charging network with high availability & own software integration. Compounder, as Supercharger can grow as a service independently of the OEM.

Hidden champions:

$Ionity (private, joint venture of BMW, Mercedes, Ford, VW, Hyundai) - Europe's premium charging network 👉 Access via OEMs such as BMW or Mercedes

$ALLG Allego - listed charging infrastructure operator, focus on Europe

$FAST (+0.11%) Fastned (FAST.AS) - fast charging network in Europe, rapidly growing

$DCFC Tritium DCFC - manufacturer of fast charging stations, globally active

👉 Favorite: Fastned ($FAST (+0.11%)
)

Clear business model as a pure fast-charging operator, strong moat through premium locations & brand perception. Compounder potential via expansion in Europe.

Shovel manufacturer:

$ABBN (+0.5%) ABB - leader in charging hardware & power grid infrastructure

$ENR (+4.48%) Siemens Energy - grid infrastructure & charging hardware, important supplier for energy transition + AV

$SU (+1.71%) Schneider Electric - power distribution, smart grids for charging infrastructure

$6594 (+3.38%) Nidec - motors & drives for e-mobility

$ETN (+1.47%) Eaton - Energy management & charging infrastructure components

👉 Favorite: ABB ($ABBN (+0.5%)
)

Broadly positioned from fast charging hardware to grid technology. Moat due to market leadership & long-standing customer base. Compounder, as electromobility + AV will bring growth for decades.

Takeaway:

Autonomous vehicles don't just need software, they need a reliable charging and energy base. Tesla is securing a massive advantage with its Supercharger network, while hidden champions such as Fastned are setting the pace in Europe. On the shovel side, ABB dominates with its global infrastructure expertise. Investors should not underestimate this sector, as no AV will drive without energy.

🏙️ Mobility services & platforms

Big players:

$UBER (+0.22%) Uber Technologies - ride-hailing, partnerships with AV start-ups (Momenta), robotaxi plans in Munich

$LYFT (+0.59%) Lyft - ride-hailing, own AV programs, cooperations with Aptiv & Motional

$DIDIY (-0.93%) Didi Global - largest ride-hailing network in China, AV research on Didi Autonomous Driving

$9888 (+1.88%) Baidu Apollo - robotaxi operator in China, leading with Apollo Go

$AMZN (+1.93%) Amazon / Zoox - fully autonomous robotaxi, integration into Amazon ecosystem

👉 Favorite: Baidu Apollo ($9888 (+1.88%)
HK, China, HKEX)

Moat through network effects in the world's largest mobility market. Apollo Go has already completed hundreds of thousands of robotaxi journeys. Compounder potential as China aggressively promotes AV.

Hidden champions:

$Momenta (private, China) - L4 autonomy software, partnerships with Mercedes & Toyota, based in Suzhou, China

👉 Access indirectly via investors such as $7203 (+0.38%) Toyota or Mercedes $MBG (+0.62%)

$Motional (joint venture Hyundai & Aptiv, private, USA/South Korea) - Robotaxi tests in the USA

👉 Access via $Hyundai or $APTV (+0.68%) Aptiv

$WeRide (private, China) - Robotaxi & AV bus solutions, based in Guangzhou, China

👉 Investors: Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance

$Cruise (private, USA) - GM subsidiary for robotaxis, based in San Francisco

👉 Access via $GM (+2.52%) General Motors

👉 Favorite: Motional (private, USA/South Korea)

Strong moat through OEM partnerships (Hyundai + Aptiv). Realistic scaling through series integration, compounder potential via global fleet integration.

Shovel manufacturer:

$HTZ (-0.22%) Hertz Global - fleet management, integration of AVs in rental fleets

$SIX2 (+1.11%) Sixt SE - Car sharing & fleet leasing, focus on Europe

$R (+2.54%) Ryder System ($R, USA, NYSE) - fleet services & leasing, AV test integration

$GRAB (+2.32%) Grab Holdings ($GRAB, Singapore, Nasdaq) - Southeast Asian ride-hailing market leader, entry into AV services

$Ola Cabs (private, India) - AV pilot projects in India

👉 Favorite: Sixt SE ($SIX2 (+1.11%)
.DE, Germany, Xetra)

Moat due to premium positioning in Europe, flexible business model (rental, leasing, car sharing). Compounder, as Sixt invests early in fleet integration of AVs and benefits from growing Mobility-as-a-Service market.

Takeaway:

Mobility services are the interface to the end customer. This is where it will be decided whether AVs remain just technology or break through to the mass market. Baidu dominates in China, Motional scores with strong partners in the West, and Sixt provides the platform to bring scalable AVs into everyday life in Europe. Investors who get in early will secure access to the future platform monopolies of mobility.

🔋 Battery & drive

Big player:

$300750 CATL - world market leader for battery cells, supplies almost all major OEMs

$373220 LG Energy Solution - global player, supplier for Tesla, Hyundai, GM

$6752 (+1.69%) Panasonic Holdings - long-standing partner of Tesla, strong in energy storage

$1211 (-0.54%) BYD - integrates battery production and vehicles, pioneer in blade batteries

👉 Favorite: CATL ($300750
SZ, China, Shenzhen)

Moat due to technological leadership and economies of scale, supplies almost all global OEMs. Classic compounder, as batteries are at the heart of every AV fleet.

Hidden champions:

$Northvolt (private, Sweden) - European battery startup, sustainable production, supplies VW and BMW 👉 Access indirectly via VW ($VOW3 (+1.07%) DE, Germany, Xetra) or BMW ($BMW (+0.88%) DE, Germany, Xetra)

$SLDP Solid Power - specialist for solid-state batteries, partnerships with Ford and BMW

$ProLogium (private, Taiwan) - solid-state batteries, pilot projects with Mercedes👉 Access indirectly via Mercedes-Benz Group ($MBG (+0.62%) DE, Germany, Xetra)

$QS QuantumScape ($QS, USA, NYSE) - solid-state batteries, strong focus on future technology

$MOD (+5.22%) Modine Manufacturing (USA, NYSE) - Thermal management for batteries, e-motors and power electronics. Critical for range and safety.

$KULR (+3.94%) Technology (USA, NYSE) - specializes in battery cooling, energy storage and recycling. Still small, but focus on safety makes it interesting in the AV context.

$ZIL2 (-1.2%) ElringKlinger (DE, Germany, Xetra) - supplier of battery packs, housings, seals and fuel cell technology. Supports OEMs in electrification and alternative drive systems.

👉 Favorite: Solid Power ($SLDP
USA, Nasdaq)

Technology leader in solid-state batteries with strong OEM partnerships. Moat through patents and early market entries. Compounder potential through commercialization from 2027+.

Blade manufacturer:

$6594 (+3.38%) Nidec (JP) - leader in electric motors for EVs and AVs

$IFX (-0.05%) Infineon Technologies (DE) - semiconductors for power electronics and battery management

$300450 Wuxi Lead Intelligent (China, Shenzhen) - machines for battery production

$UMI (-0.93%) Umicore (Belgium, Euronext) - cathode materials and recycling

$ALB (+9.7%) Albemarle (USA, NYSE) - Lithium mining and processing

👉 Favorite: Infineon Technologies ($IFX (-0.05%)
DE, Germany, Xetra)

Moat due to market leadership in power electronics, deeply integrated in battery and drive systems. Compounder potential due to growing demand for silicon carbide (SiC) chips for EV and AV applications.

Takeaway:

Battery and drive are the foundation of autonomy. Without powerful energy storage, reliable electric motors and robust power electronics, no autonomous vehicle can be operated economically. CATL dominates cell production, Solid Power is a promise of the future in solid state technology, and Infineon supplies the critical power electronics. Investors who neglect this sector are ignoring the heart of autonomous driving.

🗺️ Maps & Mapping

Big players:

$GOOGL (+2.3%) Alphabet / Waymo (USA, Nasdaq) - HD maps for robotaxis, combined with AI-supported real-time navigation

$9888 (+1.88%) Baidu Apollo (China, HKEX) - leader in AV mapping in China, integrated into Apollo Go

$HERE Technologies (private, based in NL/DE, owners: Audi, BMW, Mercedes and others) - global provider of HD maps, industry standard for many OEMs

$TOM2 (-1.34%) TomTom (Netherlands, Euronext) - specialized in HD maps for AVs, partner of Volvo and Bosch

👉 Favorite: HERE Technologies (private, access via OEMs Audi, BMW, Mercedes)

Moat through global map databases, OEM consortium as backing. Compounder potential, as almost all autonomous vehicles rely on HD maps.

Hidden champions:

$002405 Navinfo Co. Ltd, (China, Shenzhen) - market leader for digital maps in China, partnerships with OEMs - unfortunately not tradable in the EU

$Civil Maps (private, USA) - specialized in AI-supported HD mapping for AVs

$DeepMap (private, USA, acquired by $NVDA (+1.29%) Nvidia) - high-precision mapping, integration with Nvidia Drive

$Mapbox (private, USA) - cloud-based mapping platform, strong in the developer ecosystem

👉 Favorite: NavInfo ($002405
SZ, China, Shenzhen)

Dominance in the Chinese market, regulatory anchoring and partnerships with major OEMs. Moat through market access in China, compounder potential through data growth.

Shovel manufacturer:

$PL Planet Labs (USA, NYSE) - daily earth observation data, basis for dynamic mapping

$HEXA B (+6.35%) Hexagon AB (Sweden, Nasdaq Stockholm) - measurement technology and geodata solutions

$TRMB (+0.76%) Trimble (USA, Nasdaq) - positioning and geospatial data for AV and industrial applications

👉 Favorite: Hexagon AB ($HEXA B (+6.35%)
Sweden, Nasdaq Stockholm)

Moat due to decades of experience in geodata and measurement technology, strong market position in industry and automotive. Compounder potential, as mapping and positioning are indispensable for all AV applications.

Takeaway:

High-precision maps are the nervous system of autonomous driving. Without continuously updated HD maps, vehicles cannot navigate safely. HERE secures a key role through OEM stakes, NavInfo dominates the Chinese market, and Hexagon provides the geospatial bucket technology. Investors should not overlook this sector, as mapping is the invisible foundation on which autonomy works.

Sources: own research, https://www.t-online.de/mobilitaet/aktuelles/id_100901210/iaa-mobility-muenchen-2025-alle-neuheiten-von-audi-bmw-vw-opel.html

Images: https://www.deraktionaer.de/artikel/mobilitaet-oel-energie/robotaxis-das-milliardenrennen-der-autonomen-autos-20381083.html

https://insideevs.de/features/763886/vorschau-iaa-2025-neuheiten-2026/

Hello everyone, AI is becoming more and more important in our lives. However, this also means that massive investments continue to be made.

I see AI glasses $QCOM (+0.25%) further ahead.

$NVDA (+1.29%) makes a lot of things possible here.

In terms of infrastructure, I see $VRT (+1.19%) and $IESC (+13.44%) as one of the beneficiaries.

Cooling of data centers $MOD (+5.22%) and $FIX (-0.54%) .

And as mentioned in the report

$META (+0.25%)
$GOOG (+2.39%)
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Meta brings the AI functions of its sunglasses to Europe, Gemini's live image recognition becomes accessible to all, and Grok also gets virtual eyes

First we chatted with the AI bots, then we talked to them - and if the manufacturers have their way, we will also show them our surroundings in future so that they can comment on them. What was previously a niche program is now set to find its way into the masses. And in Europe too.

Following the European launch of Meta AI, the Facebook group Meta is now also offering the smart functions of its Rayban sunglasses, which are already available in the USA, in various European countries, including Austria. Initially, it is possible to ask the sunglasses equipped with Meta AI a question by voice input, and the answer is then output via the sunglasses' small speakers. In the near future, the glasses' integrated cameras will also be used to ask questions about visible objects in the environment.

But it's not just Meta, Google is also expanding its potential user base for a similar feature. All Android users will be able to use the image recognition and screen sharing function in Gemini Live free of charge, which was previously reserved for owners of Pixel 9 or Galaxy S25 smartphones. Here, too, the AI answers questions about things it sees via the camera or on the screen. And Elon Musk's Grok now also has digital eyes, albeit only via the iPhone app for the time being.

Of course, where there is light, there is also shadow, and once again this means data protection. Concerns have been expressed, particularly with regard to Meta's smart Rayban glasses, that people could not only be filmed but also identified by the AI. This is not science fiction: in the fall of 2024, Harvard students were already able to determine the personal data of strangers in real time using commercially available Meta smart glasses.

All eyes on Google, efforts at Apple

Another topic that has caused a stir in recent days: the antitrust proceedings against Google. And in this case, an eye is also being cast on the topic of AI, as the company could use the technology to further strengthen its position. Among other things, Google is said to be paying "enormous sums of money" to Samsung to have Gemini installed as the standard AI app on its smartphones. Should the Google business be split up, an AI competitor has already signaled its interest: OpenAI would like to take over the Chrome browser.

In this context, it was made public that Gemini now has 350 million monthly and 35 million daily active users. In October, it still had nine million daily active users and 90 million monthly active users. Despite the growth, however, the figures are still lower than those of the competition: Meta AI has 500 million monthly users, while OpenAI has 400 million.

However, Google has also attracted the attention of competition authorities on this side of the Atlantic. The EU Commission is investigating Google's AI overviews after publishers recorded losses in traffic and advertising revenue following their introduction.

These are problems that Apple does not have: There, they are making more of an effort to catch up. One of the ways in which the new Siri engineering boss Mike Rockwell is hoping to achieve this is by bringing people into the team who previously worked on the Vision Pro headset. Some of the once promised features of Apple Intelligence are still awaited. Previously, Apple had advertised AI functions in commercials that did not even exist, but after various complaints, the company is now much more cautious with its promises.

New tools and features

In terms of new features and tools, one of the things we can look forward to this week is that Google Workspace will receive components from NotebookLM. People with Gemini Advanced accounts can use Google's video AI Veo 2 in Gemini. Developers can test Google's hybrid reasoning model Gemini 2.5 Flash.

Microsoft, on the other hand, wants to integrate Copilot into the Xbox app. OpenAI has entered into a partnership with the Washington Post and is incorporating their content into ChatGPT. Sam Altman's team also enables developers to integrate OpenAI's image generator into their own applications via API. The o3 and o4-mini versions can now determine exactly where a particular photo was taken.

There is also good news from European providers. For example, the Swedish start-up Lovable, which specializes in vibe coding, has released version 2.0 of its tool, which even non-experts with no coding experience can use to build simple applications. Among other things, the tool now includes more options for cooperation and security checks.

There is also news from Paris. It was only in the fall that Thomas Wolf, Chief Science Officer (CSO) at Hugging Face, told me that, in addition to providing AI models and applications, the platform also wanted to get involved in the field of robotics, and now these plans are becoming more concrete: With the acquisition of Pollen Robotics, the French want to offer open source robots, namely the software as well as construction plans and 3D models.

(Jan 25 (Reuters) - The cloud computing arm of Alphabet Inc (GOOGL. O), opens new tab, announced on Thursday that it had entered into a partnership with startup Hugging Face, to facilitate the development of artificial intelligence (AI) software on the company's Google Cloud.25.01.2024)

https://www.derstandard.de/story/3000000266847/ki-google-chrome-chatgpt

Kate invests in energy @Iwanowitsch .

In line with Kate's post and my purchase of $VST (+4.51%) there is now a report from Focus Online.

AI stronghold instead of vacation region - Jorge Azcón, head of the regional government of Aragon, wants to make the region in north-eastern Spain the leading location for data centers. This could also be worthwhile for investors.

In 2024, numerous cloud providers such as Amazon , Microsoft and Blackrock announced plans to invest a total of 33.5 billion dollars in the construction of computer farms.

Management consultants McKinsey see this as confirmation. The experts estimate that demand for data centers in the USA alone could reach 80 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 and 35 GW in Europe.

Trillion-dollar market for system operators and their suppliers

A mega market for system operators and their suppliers. At a total cost of 50 million dollars per megawatt (MW), the market potential for AI data centers could total 2.5 to three trillion dollars, writes Guillaume Chieusse, portfolio manager for European equities at Oddo BHF AM.

The story: Data centers form the infrastructure and thus the basis for the boom. The server farms run training units to teach AI. With the knowledge acquired, the technology recognizes patterns in large amounts of data in order to create more accurate weather forecasts, warn of natural disasters or develop new medicines, for example.

As the training is to a certain extent independent of the transmission speed of the data, AI data centers can go into operation in regions such as Aragon, where land and electricity are still abundantly available.

Experts warn of imminent energy shortages

Still. Because energy consumption in the world is rising rapidly. Experts are warning of shortages. The hunger for electricity in data centers alone has recently grown by an average of 17 percent per year. McKinsey forecasts annual growth of 13 percent in Europe.

On a positive note: "The boom in data centers is also a growth driver for various sectors," writes fund expert Chieusse. For example, a lot of energy is needed to cool the systems. This means that the more efficient the cooling technology, the greater the energy savings. With a growth rate of 46 percent, liquid cooling, which is significantly more efficient than air cooling, is beginning to establish itself.

"It is expected that investment expenditure in the area of cooling will increase by an average of around 18% per year until 2028," says Chieusse.

Alphabet, Amazon, Equinix and Vertiv are heavily involved.

$GOOG (+2.39%)
$AMZN (+1.93%)
$EQIX (+1.66%)
$VRT (+1.19%)
$MOD (+5.22%)

https://www.focus.de/finanzen/boerse/alphabet-und-amazon-investieren-alphabet-und-amazon-investieren-in-ki-rechenzentren-anleger-koennen-profitieren_id_260619773.html

Hello everyone, with Donald Trump and Elon Musk in office, I'm expecting volatile times ahead. I have therefore carried out a check on my portfolio to determine how solid my foundation (core) still is.

The following criteria were used for the check

Quality check

The quality check examines shares for the quality of the business model and the stability of the balance sheet

Enduring qualities

The long-term indicator checks whether share prices are rising steadily.

Outperformer check

Every investor is confronted with the question of whether to invest money passively in ETFs or in individual shares. A share should rise by more than 10% per year for an investment to be worthwhile.

KUV monster

When companies are hyped and everyone knows about the quality of a company, the return potential is usually low. The top 5% of the most highly valued shares according to the KUV criterion are problematic.

The following companies from my portfolio turned out to be

buy and leave.

Alphabet $GOOG (+2.39%) Modine Manuf. $MOD (+5.22%) Chipotle $CMG (-1.58%)

Microsoft $MSFT (+0.58%) Copart $CPRT (-0.72%) Vertex $VRTX (+0.96%)

Constellation Software $CSU (+1.42%) Man and machine $MUM (-0.06%)

Corcept Therap. $CORT (+0.08%) Tetra Tech $TTI (+0.36%) TransDigm Group $TDG (+0.04%)

IES Holding $IESC (+13.44%) ASML $ASML (+0.41%)

Hello everyone,

At the end of last year, I published my "top picks list" here, in which I presented the stocks that I have put on my watchlist for 2024 and am also partially invested in (unfortunately not in all of them 😁).

At the time, I had compiled a list of stocks recommended by well-known analysts and put them through "my requirements profile". The original 100 stock ideas then became the list below. A year later, I'm looking back. This was the performance:

🟢 $TMUS (-1.43%) +1,63%

🟢 Sterling Infrastructure: +100.68%

🟢 $CRM (-0.43%) Salesforce: +28.14%

🟢 $RR. (+0.62%) Rolls-Royce: +92.56%

🟢 $MOD (+5.22%) Modine Manufacturing: +98.68%

🟠 $MHO (+0.42%) M/I Homes: -1.46%

🟢 $META (+0.25%) Meta: +68.52%

🟢 $MCD (-0.49%) McDonalds: +0.14%

🟢 $MA (-0.01%) Mastercard: +26.26%

🟢 $ISP (-0.32%) Intesa Sanpaolo: +45.44%

🟢 $ISRG (-0.31%) Intuitive Surgical: +59.62%

🟠 $GCT Gigacloud Technologies: -0.66%

🟢 $FDX (+0.9%) FedEx: +11.11%

🟠 $LPG (-0.64%) Dorian LPG: -47.70%

🟢 $COST (-0.66%) Costco: +43.34%

🟢 $US1011372067 Boston Scientific: +63.23%

🟢 $BKNG (+0.23%) Booking: +44.19%

🟠 $ABX Barrick Gold: -14.73%

🟢 $APP (+5.65%) Applovin: +753.81%

🟢 $GOOG (+2.39%) Alphabet: +39.28%

🟢 $AMZN (+1.93%) Amazon: +48,05%

🟢 $ANF (+2.24%) Abercrombie & Fitch: +69.99%

As you can see, my stock ideas have done quite well. $APP (+5.65%) with +753.81% was of course a big hit. $DORIAN With -47.70% it was a pipe-dropper.

🔥 I'm currently working on my top picks list for 2025. If you're interested, I'll be happy to share it again and put it up for discussion!

💬 What were your top picks in 2024? And what were the losers? I will reply to every comment and give you a brief assessment.

#stockanalysis
#watchlist