Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" recommendation for the automotive sector, suggesting that the sector is expected to bottom out and presents a good opportunity for early investment in the upcoming year [3]. Core Insights - Traditional vehicle stocks continue to show weak performance, which is anticipated as the market awaits clarity on 1Q policies and retail trends. The report suggests that the current moment is a favorable time for positioning [3]. - The report highlights significant interest in the intelligent driving sector, particularly with L3 level autonomous driving vehicles, which are expected to gain traction in 2026 due to potential policy and standard implementations [3]. - The report emphasizes the importance of monitoring the automotive sector's recovery, particularly focusing on companies like Geely and JAC, which are expected to benefit from high-end product strategies and international expansion [5]. Data Tracking - In early December, the discount rate for vehicles decreased slightly, with an average discount amount of 22,156 yuan, down 1,238 yuan from the previous month. The discount rate was reported at 9.7%, a decrease of 0.4 percentage points month-on-month [5]. - In October, wholesale vehicle sales reached 2.96 million units, a year-on-year increase of 7.5% and a month-on-month increase of 3.6%. However, retail sales fell to 2.09 million units, down 9.2% year-on-year and 6.4% month-on-month [5]. - In November, BYD's delivery volume was 480,186 units, showing a significant month-on-month increase of 8.7%, while traditional automaker Geely's sales reached 310,000 units, up 24.0% year-on-year [6][26]. Industry News - On December 15, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology approved two L3 level autonomous driving vehicle models from Changan Automobile and BAIC Blue Valley [9][32]. - The report notes that the automotive sector's performance index increased by 0.09% this week, ranking 9th out of 29 sectors [10]. - The report mentions that the retail market for narrow passenger vehicles is expected to reach approximately 2.3 million units in December, reflecting a month-on-month growth of 3.4% but a year-on-year decline of 12.7% [34].