SHANGHAI, China - Asia's biggest electronic components exhibition, electronica Shanghai 2026, opened on Tuesday at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). More than 2,032 companies are taking part through July 3, filling 10 halls, including W1 to W5 and N1 to N5, with semiconductors, connectors, power components and sensors.

The scale of the venue stood out. The exhibition space was spread out enough for shuttle carts to run between halls. It took time just to move from one hall to the next, and from the first day companies seeking to enter parts supply chains lined up in front of major booths holding business cards.

Visitors concentrated mainly in 2 areas: the humanoid robot exhibition zone and the semiconductor sector. People crowded around live demonstrations of robots in motion, while semiconductor booths saw nonstop consultations asking about chip specifications.

Japanese company Murata Manufacturing had the first large-scale booth near the entrance. It placed humanoid robots at the front and targeted entry into China's finished-vehicle and parts supply chains. The layout showed where the centre of gravity of the components exhibition is heading. A Taiwan pavilion also took its place. Tensions from conflicts between countries were not visible at the industrial site.

The next battlefield after cars is humanoids... a new battleground for the parts industry

A notable change at this exhibition was humanoid robots. Organisers prepared a separate humanoid robot exhibition zone and a conference on industrial applications of embodied intelligence, or embedded AI. The exhibition zone kept visitors' attention with ongoing demonstrations of robots operating in real time.

Humanoids must control more than 40 degrees of freedom, and the completeness of microcontrollers (MCUs), power semiconductors and connectors used in each joint determines whether mass production succeeds. It shows that after cars, humanoids have emerged as a new blue ocean for the parts industry.

Interest in AI was also strong in Shanghai. Consultations continued at booths for underlying hardware that actually implements AI functions, ranging from automotive system-on-chip (SoC) to 4D imaging radar and automotive image sensors. At booths across the venue, working-level staff exchanged questions over connector fastening methods, image sensor specifications and graphics processing unit (GPU) power supply paths.

From functions to foundations... supply chain landscape changes

Another trend seen across the venue was that the axis of competition is shifting from visible functions to invisible foundational technologies. According to industry research firm EO Intelligence, China's penetration rate of AI-based intelligent electric vehicles was close to 20 percent in 2025 and is expected to exceed 50 percent in 2030. As smart cockpits and intelligent driving functions become standardised, competition is moving to the completeness of semiconductors, power and connectors that stably implement those functions under limited conditions of power, space and cost.

This shift is also an opportunity for South Korean automotive electronics and electronic components companies with strengths in materials, power semiconductors and connectors. As cars move from the stage of adding AI to the stage of stably supporting AI and humanoids follow, electronica Shanghai 2026 is showing the site where the next landscape of the global automotive electronics and semiconductor supply chain is being drawn up.

Companies including Mangoboost, AD Technology, Powercube Semi, Aim Future and Boss Semiconductor took part in the Korea pavilion operated by the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association. Poongsan, Kocip, Yura and Pixelplus also opened booths to broaden their links with global supply chains.

An official at a company participating in the Korea pavilion said, "Seeing electronica in person, it feels like the size of about 5 COEX." The official said, "As a components exhibition there are no direct sales touchpoints, but since we are preparing to enter the Chinese market, we came out to show our company." The official added, "We expect more potential customers to visit during the remaining period."