--- title: "China Flips the Script, Offering to Help Western Automakers Build Cars Faster at Home: TDS" date: "2026-08-20" modified: "2026-08-20" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/china-flips-the-script-offering-to-help-western-automakers-build-cars-faster-at-home-tds" categories: - "News" - "The Downshift" --- # China Flips the Script, Offering to Help Western Automakers Build Cars Faster at Home: TDS ![Geely Senior Vice President Victor Yang Xueliang, at left, holds a joint press conference with Ford Europe President Jim Baumbick at a Ford plant outside Valencia on July 23. The two companies will jointly develop vehicles for Europe at the site.]() *Geely Senior Vice President Victor Yang Xueliang, at left, holds a joint press conference with Ford Europe President Jim Baumbick at a Ford plant outside Valencia, Spain on July 23. The two companies will jointly develop vehicles for Europe at the site. \Jose Jordan/AFP via Getty Images\* Welcome to *[The Downshift]()*, or TDS for short, *The Drive’s* morning news roundup bringing you the biggest automotive headlines from around the world. Every item in *The Downshift* includes a link you can follow for the deeper story. Here’s your bulletin for Thursday, August 20, 2026. 🤝 Are you a legacy automaker that wants to develop new cars as quickly as Chinese manufacturers can? Geely is pitching "reverse joint ventures" that will leverage its technologies and staff to help other companies build more quickly in export markets. Now, imagine an auto exec time-traveling from 20 or 30 years ago and reading that news. *\[[Automotive News]()\]* ⚙️ GM has made inroads into resolving an issue with some of its SUVs that use the eight-speed 8T65 transmission, involving a faulty outputs speed sensor that could confuse the vehicle and leave it stuck in first gear. The issue touches everything from the Chevrolet Equinox to GMC Acadia to Buick Enclave, and a new service bulletin details how techs should diagnose the issue and when to replace that pesky sensor, which is buried deep in the gearbox. *\[[Autoblog]()\]* ✂️ We've heard for some time now that BMW would soon discontinue the XM and 8 Series, and the rumor mill is spinning yet again as the company seeks to reduce costs. *\[[Automotive News]()\]* 🍁 As the U.S. government dismantles the trajectory of emissions regulations set under the prior administration, Canada has evidently decided to press on with its rules, which align with those the U.S. set before Trump reentered the White House. *\[[Automotive News]()\]* 🪫 LG built factories in North America to crank out batteries for electric vehicles. Today, they're mostly used to manufacture batteries for energy storage, which are in demand because of—you guessed it—AI data centers. *\[[Reuters]()\]* 🤏 Few foreign automakers have tried to conquer Japan's unique kei market, but BYD is going for it with its new micro EV, the Racco. It's an especially bold move for a market that has demonstrated a strong preference for hybrids over fully battery-powered vehicles. *\[[Bloomberg]()\]* *Got a tip or feedback for TDS? reach out to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()