Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio has registered new trademarks for its in-car AI voice assistant ‘NOMI,’ expanding its potential use to humanoid robots and advanced chips.
Filings published on the Chinese corporate platform Qichacha, show that Nio Automotive Technology (Anhui) Co., Ltd. secured two ‘NOMI’ trademarks under the “scientific instruments” category.
The goods and services covered include teaching robots, humanoid robots with artificial intelligence for scientific research, biochip sensors, and integrated circuit chips.
Nio first introduced ‘NOMI’ in 2017 as an in-car AI system embedded into its vehicles, marketed as an intelligent companion capable of interacting with drivers and passengers.
The new filings suggest the EV maker is exploring a broader application of the brand in robotics and smart devices.
Nio’s interest in robotics is not new.
In January, Chinese media outlet 21st Century Business Herald reported that the company formed a small team of around 20 staff to evaluate in-house development of four-legged robots.
The unit is led by Xu Kang, an algorithm expert who joined Nio in 2020 after working at autonomous driving startup Momenta.
The company’s factories already deploy large-scale automation.
A year ago, Nio’s F2 facility in Hefei operated with 310 Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) transport robots and an assembly workshop equipped with 941 industrial robots — not humanoid ones.
Nio executives have also confirmed efforts to build humanoid robotics capabilities. In early 2024, Yi Peng, the company’s head of humanoid robots for intellectual engineering, said the EV maker had assembled a humanoid robot “squad” in 2023.
According to Yi, the company has made two major attempts: equipping humanoid robotic arms to operate in tight spaces using 5G and vision algorithms for multitasking, and integrating humanoid robots into some quality control processes.
Robotics pilots have been trialed inside Nio’s plants.
In February 2024, UBTech Robotics shared a video of its Walker S humanoid robot working on a Nio assembly line, where it assisted in quality inspections of seat belts, door locks, and headlight covers, and could affix vehicle logos.
In July 2024, the Kuavo humanoid robot equipped with Huawei’s HarmonyOS operating system was undergoing testing and validation at facilities operated by Nio and Jiangsu Hengtong Group.
China’s leading EV manufacturers are increasingly investing in embodied AI.
BYD said last December it was setting up a dedicated lab for humanoid robotics and launched a recruitment drive for postgraduate researchers to join its “Embodied Intelligence Research Team.”
A year earlier, XPeng unveiled its next-generation humanoid robot, XPeng Iron, which CEO He Xiaopeng said would integrate multiple in-house chips, 15 degrees of freedom, and bionic hands with tactile feedback.
As reported earlier today, Nio is stepping up hiring as it prepares to bring its new factory in Hefei as soon as September.
