EV maker Nio said on Tuesday it is rolling out a new safety feature this week in China that allows its vehicles to autonomously pull over on highways in case of emergencies.
The Shanghai-based brand said the system is the first of its kind to reach mass production in China.
The function, called “Emergency Autonomous Pull-Over,” is part of the latest software update to Nio’s driver assistance system under its in-house “Nio World Model” (NWM).
It is currently available to users who activate the “Smart Drive & Enjoy Mode” on select Nio vehicles equipped with Full-Scenario Navigation Assist.
In scenarios where the driver is unresponsive — such as falling asleep or suffering a medical emergency while using assisted driving on highways — the vehicle will first issue escalating in-cabin alerts.
If the driver fails to respond, the system will initiate a controlled deceleration, change lanes to the far-right emergency shoulder when conditions permit, and bring the car to a complete stop.
Hazard lights are automatically activated, doors are unlocked, and an SOS emergency call is placed.
Nio said the system is designed to function without any driver input and includes hardware and software redundancies to ensure safety.
“This feature is triggered when the driver is fully unconscious and unable to control the vehicle,” the company said in a post on its official WeChat account. “At that point, the assisted driving system must take over completely to ensure safety.”
The company stressed that while similar features have been shown in prototype demonstrations by other automakers, bringing the technology to series production presents significantly greater challenges due to regulatory and technical hurdles.
A year ago, Nio was among nine companies approved by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and three other ministries to participate in pilot road tests for L3 conditional autonomous driving technologies on public roads.
While the new Emergency Autonomous Pull-Over feature remains under the broader L2 assisted driving classification, Nio said it reflects capabilities developed under its ongoing L3 technology validation efforts.
As reported this week, the company has added battery manufacturing and related services to its corporate activities of the Shanghai Nio Automobile Co., Ltd. subsidiary.
The addition comes weeks after the EV maker announced it is deepening collaboration with the world’s largest battery maker, CATL, and receiving an investment capped of up to 2.5 billion yuan ($347 million).
