Nio announced Monday that an upgraded version of its Nio World Model (NWM) assisted driving software will begin rolling out by year-end.
The enhanced NWM system is “in full preparation and expected to be pushed to Banyan platform users within this year,” pending regulatory approvals, according to Niu Meimei, a member of Nio‘s intelligent driving team.
The rollout follows Nio’s initial NWM deployment in late May through the Banyan 3.2.0 software update.
Cedar and Cedar S platform users, including owners of the third-generation Nio ES8, will receive the update in the first quarter of 2026.
Enhanced Navigation and Parking Features
The upcoming release will introduce several features first showcased at Nio‘s annual event in September.
These include navigation-assisted power swapping at over 90% of Nio’s battery swap stations across China, enabling more seamless battery exchanges through automated guidance.
The system will also deliver point-to-point full-domain navigation assistance for seamless transitions between highway and urban driving environments.
Additionally, the update will introduce autonomous parking lot route-finding capabilities, allowing vehicles to navigate complex parking structures independently.
The overall navigation assistance for both highway and urban environments will see significant improvements, enhancing the driver experience across diverse driving scenarios.
Platform Fragmentation and Development Focus
Nio currently operates multiple software platforms across its fleet.
European vehicles — which are based on the NT2.0 platform — run a local version of the Banyan operating system, while the newly built Chinese vehicles have transitioned to the newer Cedar system, which debuted earlier this year with the flagship ET9 sedan.
Since the NWM launch, Nio has concentrated on performance optimization while transitioning to its in-house developed Shenji NX9031 chip.
Recent Software Updates Across Platforms
In October, Nio released the Cedar 1.3.0 update for the ET9 sedan, introducing Intelligent Slip Control and Intelligent Adaptive High-Beam Warning Light features to enhance driving safety.
A month earlier, in September, the company rolled out the Cedar S 1.2.0 update for its refreshed ES6, EC6, ET5, and ET5 Touring models.
Onvo Sub-Brand
Last week, Nio‘s Onvo sub-brand released Coconut 2.0.6, featuring an enhanced voice assistant, improved driving dynamics, and software-optimized range improvements.
The system will “receive a major upgrade” with Coconut 2.1.0, which will integrate urban navigation and parking assistance into Nio‘s unified end-to-end technical architecture.
