NIO Establishes Three Chip Subsidiaries to Advance Autonomous Driving Ecosystem

[Company News] In early January 2026, Anhui Shenji Technology Co., Ltd.—a NIO subsidiary—established three new companies, all led by Bai Jian, former executive at Xiaomi.

Key Development: Bai Jian Spearheads Accelerated Chip R&D Strategy

Bai Jian, currently Vice President of NIO Intelligent Hardware and General Manager of Anhui Shenji, previously served as General Manager of Xiaomi’s chip division and OPPO’s Hardware Director. He is now leading the development of NIO’s self-developed 5nm automotive-grade chip, Shenji NX9031.

Strategic Foundation: Dual-City Collaboration Between Hefei and Hangzhou to Advance Autonomous Driving Chip Ecosystem

On January 4, the Hefei Branch was registered at NIO China’s headquarters location. On January 12, the Hangzhou First and Second Branches were established in Binjiang District, focusing on AI and chip technology development. Hangzhou already hosts over 400 enterprises across the chip industry chain, enabling NIO to build end-to-end capabilities spanning "design-manufacturing-packaging-testing-application."

Industry Impact: Chip Business May Operate Independently and Serve Third-Party Clients

Anhui Shenji has jointly founded "Chongqing Chuangyuan Zhihang" with Axera Tech and OmniVision Group to promote external supply of autonomous driving modules. Industry insiders speculate that NIO may spin off its chip business, bring in external investment, retain controlling stake to alleviate financial reporting pressure, and secure third-party orders.