According to a report published by Pandaily on June 25, NIO is undertaking the independent research and development of chips, with a focus on producing key chips, particularly AD chips, within the next one to two years.

Vice President of hardware Bai Jian previously mentioned this initiative on social media. Recent information indicates that NIO's first self-developed chip will target the intelligent cabin and will be created using Samsung's 7 nm process technology. A former executive from Huawei HiSilicon leads the research and development team. Although the market for intelligent cabin chips is less competitive compared to autonomous driving chips, NIO's self-developed chips could lead to better vehicle connectivity, especially with the upcoming launch of NIO smartphones.

As of the first quarter of 2023, NIO has applied for, published and received over 6,000 patents worldwide. The company delivered 19,329 vehicles in August, marking an 81% increase year over year but a 5.5% decrease month over month. Additionally, the NIO smartphone, model number N2301, has received approval from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The device supports 100 W fast charging and a variety of network standards, including 5G and UWB ultra-wideband technology, potentially allowing it to function as a digital key or connect with other smart devices.