NIO introduces ET9 model’s advanced digital architecture

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On December 16, NIO officially introduced the new digital architecture based on its flagship model, the ET9. The company stated that this digital framework will serve as the foundation for the vehicle's intelligence, dictating the speed and scope of its technological evolution.

Photo credit: NIO

According to NIO, vehicle development is divided into two main categories: mechanical architecture and digital architecture. The mechanical architecture encompasses the chassis, batteries, electric motors, electric control units, and various actuators, while the digital architecture includes the computing platform, sensors, communication systems, power systems, software, tool chains, and cloud & data integration. This digital framework defines a decoupled, layered approach to computing and communication, allowing for independent iterations across the hardware, operating system, algorithms, and applications.

NIO envisions that the digital architecture of the ET9 will feature strong computing power, high bandwidth, low latency, high reliability, and efficient energy management. Specifically, the ET9's digital architecture is composed of six core components:

Photo credit: NIO

The "brain" — Central computing platform

The "cerebellum and spinal cord" — Efficient regional controllers

The "neural network" — High-speed redundant communication network

The "blood circulation system" — Dual redundant low-voltage power supply

The "sensory organs" — Super Sensing system

The "soul and mind" — Vehicle full-domain operating system (SkyOS)

The central computing platform functions as the vehicle’s brain, powered by advanced chips that handle complex tasks like intelligent driving and entertainment systems. This platform enables the vehicle to be smarter and respond faster.

In a significant design shift, the ET9 does not rely on domain controllers, instead using front and rear regional controllers. These controllers efficiently manage all sensors and actuators across the vehicle, providing a stable and reliable hardware interface to the central computing platform. This high integration of regional controllers drastically reduces the number of ECUs and wiring, facilitating rapid and flexible model deployment.

The communication network in the ET9 uses a high-performance Ethernet ring network, a technology that, traditionally used only for entertainment systems, has now been expanded to control all vehicle functions, including its steer-by-wire chassis.

The low-voltage power supply system in the ET9 employs dual redundant power sources and features electronic control for all electrical loads. The system includes 100 Efuse electronic fuses, offering precise control over each electrical device, thus maximizing energy efficiency. Additionally, the ET9 supports 48V power for high-power loads.

The ET9 is equipped with 31 high-performance perception hardware systems, including ultra-long-range LiDAR, dual wide-angle side LiDAR, and 4D imaging radar. These systems provide a maximum sensing range of over 400,000 square meters, equivalent to 60 football fields, and generate data at a rate of 43.85Gb per second.

Following the complete overhaul of its vehicle computing and communication architecture, NIO also integrated the "SkyOS" operating system, officially announced at the NIO IN event earlier this year, into the ET9's digital platform.

The NIO ET9 will officially hit the market on December 21, 2024, at this year's NIO Day. As the brand's flagship executive sedan, the ET9 was first unveiled at NIO Day 2023 and opened for pre-sales with a starting price of 800,000 yuan.