Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio has released a new software update for its ‘Cedar’ operating system, with improvements to the smart cockpit, the in-car voice assistant ‘Nomi,’ and the vehicle’s active suspension system.
The ‘Cedar’ was first released last March, with the launch of Nio‘s executive flagship sedan, the ET9, the first model built on the third generation platform.
Last September, when launching a new iteration of the ES8, the EV maker said the three row SUV would also feature the most advanced operating system.
Version 1.3.5 is the sixth update rolled out by Nio over the past eight months and the second in just six weeks.
ET9’s Active Suspension
The new update introduces a new active suspension mode for the flagship ET9.
The ‘Tianxing Full-Active Suspension Bounce-Out Assistance’ supports low-speed operation below 15 km/h, rapidly adjusting the vehicle’s height and wheel movement.
According to the release notes, the ‘Tianxing’ full-active suspension works with the powertrain to help the car free itself from slippery conditions like snow or mud.
Additionally, the iPhone digital key has been improved — “even if the battery runs out or the phone shuts down, UWB still allows for keyless entry and vehicle operation,” the company says.
On both models, Nio‘s in-car voice assistant ‘Nomi’ now supports four new interactive experiences, including “entertaining special appearances, respond to user commands, display unique expressions, and showcase special skills.”
The new update also introduces a ‘Rear-Seat Motion Sickness Prevention Mode,’ which “softens the motion changes of new display interface images along the horizontal edges of the screen.”
Vehicles with the new update will now feature a welcome chime, enabled by default, which can be turned off by users if preferred.
New ET9 Color Themes
Earlier on Friday, Nio unveiled two new color themes for the ultra-luxury sedan at the Guangzhou Auto Show.
The new “FirstLight” and “SunlitPeak” themes join the original gray-silver combination introduced when Nio debuted the ‘Horizon Edition’ in September.
The special edition currently outsells ET9’s original version, Nio’s founder and CEO William Li said in a media roundtable that followed the announcement.
Previous Updates
In early October, the ‘Cedar 1.3.0’ update introduced intelligent driving functions such as the ‘Intelligent Slip Control,’ which let the car actively switch between AWD and stability systems.
It also added an ‘Intelligent Adaptive High-Beam Warning Light’ to ensure driving safety.
Earlier this month, Nio announced that an upgraded version of its Nio World Model (NWM) assisted driving software will begin rolling out by year-end for ‘Banyan’ users.
Cedar and Cedar S platform users will receive the update in the first quarter of 2026.
Nio Operating Systems
Nio currently operates multiple software platforms across its portfolio.
The ‘Cedar’ operating system has replaced the ‘Banyan’ in new high-end models being released in China.
The refreshed versions of the ET5, ET5 Touring, EC6, and ES6 (known as EL6 in Europe) models, which were upgraded in late May, operate on the ‘Cedar S’ system.
At the same time, Nio still operates a local version of the ‘Banyan’ OS in European vehicles, which are based on the second generation platform.
In a business trip to Europe earlier this month, William Li and Nio’s co-founder/president Lihong Qin admitted that the rollout of new features to European customers has slowed down as part of the cost cutting measures.
