Nio has recently unveiled the performance of its driver assist system using the Nio World Model (NWM) technology, showcasing its capabilities in the smart driving space. The internal test video shared by Harry Wong, Nio’s head of smart driving products and experiences, demonstrates a Nio vehicle successfully completing a 39.3 km route with point-to-point pilot-assisted driving, without any takeovers required along the way.
The test video starts at an underground parking space in a residential neighborhood and concludes at a parking space in an office campus. Throughout the journey, the vehicle navigates through 23 traffic lights and various scenarios, including highway toll gates, showcasing the robustness of the NWM technology.
Wong will be providing further details about the NWM at the launch event of the ES6 SUV and EC6 Coupe SUV later today. The event, scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm Beijing time, will feature the official unveiling of these models and highlight the advancements made in Nio’s smart driving technology.
In a recent update on Weibo, Wong mentioned the closure of the first version of NWM and hinted at upcoming good news for users of the Banyan and Cedar systems. Banyan is the system utilized by Nio’s models built on the NT 2.0 vehicle platform, while Cedar is specifically designed for the Nio ET9.
Nio had initially announced trials of the NWM technology for pioneer users in early April. However, due to regulatory changes in April surrounding driver assistance system software, the plan was delayed. Despite the setback, Nio remains focused on leveraging world models to enhance its smart driving capabilities and regain ground in the competitive landscape.
The introduction of world models represents a shift towards more advanced, AI-driven solutions in the smart driving space. While pre-written rules-based solutions were initially prevalent, the industry has seen a surge in discussions around end-to-end technology, exemplified by Tesla’s dominance in recent years.
Nio’s vice president of smart driving, Ren Shaoqing, introduced the NWM at the Nio IN 2024 Tech Day event, touting it as the world’s first smart driving world model. Ren emphasized the model’s ability to derive multiple scenarios in a fraction of a second and make optimal decisions based on them, highlighting the necessity of world models for vehicles to emulate human-like driving decision-making.
As Nio continues to push boundaries in smart driving technology, the NWM stands out as a key innovation that could reshape the future of autonomous driving. Stay tuned for more updates on Nio’s advancements in the smart driving space.
