Nio embraces latest tech at NEV plant

A new energy vehicle quietly enters a testing area at Nio's advanced manufacturing plant in Hefei, Anhui province. Its doors open and close, seats adjust, lights switch on and sensors activate — all without human operation.

Within minutes, the vehicle completes a full "health check" before leaving the factory.

The scene at Nio's advanced manufacturing Xinqiao No 2 plant reflects a broader transformation taking place in China's manufacturing sector, where artificial intelligence and industrial data are reshaping production processes.

"Nio's 'Tiantan' AI-powered vehicle self-inspection system can use the vehicle's own hardware and software capabilities to complete more than 1,000 functional inspections within three minutes, without external equipment or manual intervention," said Zhang Sen, head of the Tiantan project at Nio's manufacturing quality department.

Compared with traditional manual inspections, the AI-powered system improves efficiency by more than 10 times, he said.

While Tiantan focuses on checking whether a finished vehicle functions properly before delivery, quality control begins on the production line.

Nio's "Tiantong" intelligent quality inspection island is designed to detect potential manufacturing defects during the production process. Using collaborative robots, cameras and AI algorithms, the system automatically collects images, analyzes data and identifies possible quality issues.

"Robotic arms use thermal imaging to inspect vehicles, while AI automatically identifies defects. They can inspect 69 items within 84 seconds," said Li Yuting, an engineer with Nio's Tiantong project team.

By integrating hardware, software and data analysis, the system has improved defect recognition accuracy to 99.7 percent, according to the company.

Behind the intelligent systems is a digital infrastructure built into the factory. With about 90 kilometers of optical fiber embedded during construction, the plant has created a digital network connecting production equipment, data platforms and AI applications.

Powered by self-developed industrial AI algorithms, large models and industry-specific models, about 80 percent of manufacturing scenarios at the factory are supported by AI-based decision-making.

In June, the plant was recognized as a lighthouse factory by the World Economic Forum and McKinsey & Company for its application of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies at scale.

The evolution of Nio's factory also mirrors Hefei's rise as a major NEV hub. In 2021, Hefei and Nio jointly launched the Hefei Xinqiao intelligent electric vehicle industrial park, aiming to build a world-class smart EV industrial cluster.

The park's first factory, Nio's advanced manufacturing Xinqiao No 2 plant, started operation only 17 months after construction began.

From the first vehicle rolling off the production line in 2018 to its one millionth vehicle rolling off the line in 2026, Nio's growth in Hefei has become part of the city's industrial transformation.

Today, Hefei has attracted six major vehicle manufacturers, including JAC, BYD, Nio and Volkswagen, creating a diverse industrial ecosystem covering vehicle production, components and services.

In 2025, Hefei produced 1.872 million vehicles, including 1.371 million NEVs, ranking first among Chinese cities in NEV output, according to local government data. The city has also cultivated more than 600 core component companies.

From a factory where vehicles can "inspect themselves" to a city-wide industrial network, Hefei's automotive sector shows how intelligent technologies are becoming a new engine for manufacturing growth.

yinmingyue@chinadaily.com.cn