The rollout of NOP+ is Nio's preparation for the launch of its subscription-based NAD assisted driving software.
(Image credit: Nio)
Nio (NYSE: NIO) began allowing owners of all its NT 2.0 platform vehicles to request a trial of NOP (Navigate on Pilot) Plus assisted driving software, a feature the company began allowing a limited number of beta testers to try late last year.
All primary users of ET7, ET5 and ES7 vehicles have until March 31 to apply to receive trial access to NOP+ Beta, according to an article posted today by Nio App.
Owners can sign up through the Nio App, though their vehicles' systems need to be upgraded to Banyan 1.2.2 and above.
The safety of the NOP+ Beta feature has been tested and proven over time, but there is still room to optimize the overall experience, the Nio App article says.
The feature is still assisted driving, not autonomous driving, so drivers need to stay aware of their driving environment and road conditions during NOP+ Beta operation to ensure safe travel, the article notes.
NOP+ is an advanced assisted driving feature built by Nio based on its NT 2.0 platform that enables a point-to-point assisted driving experience on highways as well as urban expressway scenarios.
NOP+ Beta features include automatic ramp entry and exit, automatic selection of the optimal lane, and active passing of slow-moving vehicles.
On December 27, 2022, Nio began recruiting the first testers of the feature, although it was limited to 10,000 spots at the time.
Below is a video Nio posted on its mobile app at the time showcasing the feature.
The Nio App is currently showing eight models, including the ES8, ES6 and EC6 based on the NT 1.0 platform, as well as the new ES8, ES7, EC7, ET7 and ET5 based on the NT 2.0 platform.
The EC7 coupe SUV and the new ES8 were launched at Nio Day 2022 on December 24, 2022, and deliveries will begin in May and June 2023, respectively.
The computing unit for the NT 1.0-based models is the EyeQ4 chip provided by Mobileye, and Nio is limited in what it can do based on this closed chip.
Starting with the ET7, the first model of the NT 2.0 platform, Nio adopted the more open Nvidia Orin chip and started to make more efforts to build its own capabilities to develop assisted driving.
When Nio launched the ET7, Nio announced an assisted driving system called NAD (Nio Autonomous Driving), which is available for all NT 2.0 platform-based models, with full functionality on a monthly subscription model. NOP+ is seen as Nio's preparation for the launch of the NAD feature.
The service fee for the NAD feature is RMB 680 per month and will be provided gradually after the development and validation is completed, according to the information previously announced by Nio.
NAD is developed by Nio based on NT 2.0 platform with full-stack in-house developed technology, William Li, founder, chairman and CEO of Nio, said in a conference call after announcing the company's earnings report in early June last year, adding that the company was able to see the huge advantage of having closed-loop data in allowing rapid iteration of assisted driving features.
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