Chin-based EV maker NIO recently unveiled its fifth mass-production model, the ET5 (earlier post). The mid-size sedan’s AI features are powered by the NIO Adam supercomputer, built on four NVIDIA DRIVE Orin systems-on-a-chip (SoCs), achieving a total of more than 1,000 TOPS of performance.

In addition to centralized compute, the ET5 incorporates high-performance sensors into its sleek design, equipping it with the hardware necessary for advanced AI-assisted driving features.

The ET5 and its older sibling, the ET7 full-size sedan, rely on a centralized, high-performance compute architecture to power AI features and continuously receive upgrades over the air.

Orin is the world’s highest-performance, most-advanced AV and robotics processor. It delivers up to 254 TOPS to handle the large number of applications and deep neural networks that run simultaneously in autonomous vehicles and robots while achieving systematic safety standards such as ISO 26262 ASIL-D.

Adam integrates the redundancy and diversity necessary for safe autonomous operation by using multiple SoCs.

The first two SoCs process the eight gigabytes of data produced by the vehicle’s sensor set every second.

The third Orin serves as a backup to ensure the system can operate safely in any situation.

The fourth enables local training, improving the vehicle with fleet learning and personalizing the driving experience based on user preferences.

With high-performance computing at its core, Adam is a major achievement in the creation of automotive intelligence and autonomous driving.

After beginning deliveries in Norway earlier this year, NIO will expand worldwide in 2022.

The ET7, the first vehicle built on the DRIVE Orin-powered Adam supercomputer, will become available in March, with the ET5 following in September.

Next year, NIO vehicles will begin deliveries in the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark.

By 2025, NIO vehicles will be in 25 countries and regions worldwide, bringing one of the most advanced AI platforms to even more customers.