Chinese Automaker Onvo Shows Off Cars Performing “AI Self Test” Prior to L90 SUV Launch

Onvo, the subsidiary of Chinese carmaker Nio, is getting ready to begin selling its highly anticipated L90 electric SUV on July 10, and units are already being shipped to showrooms across the country. As part of its efforts to hype the launch, Onvo President Shen Fei has published a post on the local social media site Weibo, with a video showing a large number of cars purportedly performing a synchronised “AI full-body self-test” called Tiantan.

The Tiantan test, performed as cars leave the production line at Nio’s Weilei Intelligent Factory is said to cover over 1,000 car functions in just three minutes. These include opening and closing all doors including the trunk and frunk lid, flashing all interior and exterior lights, rolling the windows up and down, activating the wipers, deploying the side step, reclining all seats, and more. The video also shows a pull-down roof-mounted interior screen for rear seat entertainment, and a refrigerated compartment.

The social media post describes the attached video as a “science fiction movie”. All tests can be conducted rapidly and the AI test can detect issues that a human inspector would not be able to touch, see, or hear. The post goes on to say that the AI test was developed entirely in-house, along with the “SkyOS Tianshu” software powering Nio’s infotainment systems. It is not immediately clear whether the diagnostics happen entirely on-vehicle or whether external sensors and equipment are used as part of the process.

Nio operates Onvo as a sub-brand in China. The company has two factories, with one more set to begin operations in September. The L90 is an all-electric full-sized luxury SUV, but is set to be priced competitively, starting under RMB 300,000 (approximately ₹35.9 lakh before taxes). Unveiled in April this year at the Shanghai Auto Show, the Onvo L90 has three rows of seats and a large 240 litre frunk with easy front loading. It will have a standard 85 kWh battery with a 900V charging platform, and the company will offer single- and dual-motor options. On the inside, a floating screen and HUD replace a traditional instrument cluster.