NIO EVE: An unsuspecting AV competitor
By: Harrison Rubin
With its recent IPO on the New York Stock Exchange, the Chinese electric car company, NIO, has received significant press. It hopes to raise about $1.8 billion in the IPO to get access to much needed capital to fund its cars. NIO has coined itself as the premium electric automobile manufacturer within China and has developed cars that provide music streaming services and delivery services. While NIO has been gaining ground and coverage over the IPO, its autonomous vehicle, EVE, has piqued the interest of many.
In 2017, the company’s U.S. CEO Padmasree Warrior announced that EVE will be launching in the U.S. by 2020. This vehicle will have Level 4 autonomization, and the company will be partnering with Mobileye (now a part of Intel), Nvidia, and NXP Semiconductors to perfect their vehicle and ensure it is up to par with its autonomous competitors.
The vehicle design looks sleek and futuristic. One interesting component of the vehicle is that it will have a Siri-like companion called NOMI that will learn about its passengers and cater to their individual needs. EVE will also have active glass across the upper canopy of the vehicle, providing entertainment and augmented reality to the world around the passenger. The car also has status indications on the front and back of the vehicle that alerts pedestrians of the cars status.
Warrior has announced that EVE will not be a luxury car nor used as a ride-hailing service; the goal is to make it an affordable vehicle for families. The CEO believes that the company has implemented some cost effective innovations to make EVE significantly more affordable than any of its rivals. And if you still do not believe that NIO is a company that should be on the radar, it recently released an electric supercar that shattered the electric vehicle lap record at Nürburgring Nordschliefe. NIO means business and will be a worthy contender in the race towards autonomization, especially as it acquires capital through its IPO.
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