PHOTO: REUTERS[TOKYO] Sony Group and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) are in talks to spend a combined one trillion yen (US$6.4 billion) on their planned image sensor factory in Japan, according to a person familiar with the matter. The two companies are seeking to begin production in 2029, the person said, asking not to be named because the talks are private. TSMC and the Japanese company’s chip arm, Sony Semiconductor Solutions, are eyeing demand for artificial intelligence-wielding robots and self-driving cars, which are expected to require more sensors to function. “This is a virtually risk-free investment for Sony and TSMC,” Toyo Research Advice Co analyst Hideki Yasuda said. The Japanese company’s shares rose as much as 2.2 per cent, while TSMC’s gained 1.7 per cent on Monday.