Shanghai-based EV maker Nio has started rolling out the Banyan 3.3.0 major update to customers over-the-air (OTA), after previously delaying it due to a longer-than-expected testing period.
The information was reported by a tech blogger with over 1.3 million followers, ‘Geek_Cao’.
According to the latest timeline provided, the update will first be released to a pilot group between January 25 and 27, before the full batch rollout begins on January 28.
Nio aims to complete the update rollout before the Chinese New Year Holiday.
“The official goal is to complete all updates before the Lunar New Year, so you can enjoy a worry-free holiday,” the company stated.
Previous Delays
Late last month, Nio‘s Associate VP of Product Management Ted Li wrote on Weibo that the update would be delayed by “approximately 10 days” to “early January.”
“The filing time has been adjusted to early January, which is about 10 days later than originally planned,” Li wrote.
However, since the full rollout is now scheduled for the final days of January, it means the process required an additional 20 days.
By then, Li had stated that the 10-day delay was due to “the testing and experience iteration cycle,” which had “indeed taken longer than expected.”
Banyan 3.3.0
Li said the Banyan 3.3.0 update would deliver upgrades to both the smart cockpit and assisted driving systems, “expected to bring tangible improvements to the user experience.”
These include iPhone UWB digital key support across all models, a new map theme for the instrument cluster, optimized HUD layout, steering blind spot imagery on the HUD, parking image hub perspective memory, and volume adjustment hearing protection.
Additionally, Nio‘s NOMI voice assistant will also be improved, with encyclopedia Q&A supporting “deep thinking” for more detailed responses.
NWM
The Nio World Model (NWM) will be upgraded across driving, parking, and active safety scenarios.
The EV maker had announced in November that an upgraded version of its Nio World Model (NWM) assisted-driving software would begin rolling out by the end of 2025; however, that did not happen.
Nio‘s initial NWM deployment occurred in late May, through the Banyan 3.2.0 software update.
Multiple Software Platforms
Nio currently operates multiple software platforms across its fleet.
European vehicles — which are still based on the NT2.0 platform — run a local version of the Banyan operating system, while newly built Chinese vehicles have transitioned to the newer Cedar system.
The Cedar system debuted earlier this year with the flagship ET9 sedan, the first model under the NT3.0.
While the company planned to rollout the latest upgrades to its NWM to Banyan users in China by the end of last year, Cedar and Cedar S platform users — including owners of the third-generation Nio ES8.
Owners on Nio‘s Cedar and Cedar S platforms — including the third-generation ES8 — will receive the NWM upgrades through Cedar 1.4.0 and Cedar S 1.4.0 updates.
Updates on the Cedar platforms were planned for filing submission at the end of January, according to Ted Li. The company aims to push them before the Chinese New Year Holiday as well.
Last November, Nio released the Cedar 1.3.5 update for both the ET9 and ES8 models, with improvements to the smart cockpit, the in-car voice assistant ‘Nomi,’ and the vehicle’s active suspension system.
