Standing out in a very crowded automotive market is hard work nowadays, with all brands seemingly able to do what the other does. AITO is a brand that seems to have found an identity that is the secret to its rapid success in China and in other markets.
A recent entrant into the Philippines, AITO, keen to prove itself, brought us media to their home in Chongqing, China, to get the full in-depth look at what they stand for.
AITO’s Cyber tour in Chongqing, the Cyber Wonderland
I’ve been to Chongqing, China, once before, and it quickly became a favorite city. Chongqing is located in the upper-middle part of China, prone to extreme weather shifts depending on the season. My first trip there was the beginning of winter with temps going as low as 10 degrees; this time we arrive in the scorching heat with temps slapping the 45-degree mark.
Chongqing is also known nowadays as a city exploding with modernization and expansion, and is a multi-level city. In fact, the locals refer to it as an 8D (8-dimensional) city with a multitude of hidden labyrinths of levels and staircases. This is brought about by the unique geographical feature of the city, which sits on either side of the mountain ranges that flank the mighty and vital Yangtze River
It’s amazing how this metropolis is littered with sky-high skyscrapers standing upright and straight on an uneven mountain range, and has enough roads and bridges to transport the ever-growing population.
Luxury is the new technology
Day 2 of our trip was the beginning of the AITO Cyber Tour, which would give us the full lowdown on the brand. Our first visit was to an AITO dealership to showcase the entire customer experience and journey.
AITO positions itself as a luxury brand, and aesthetically, it shows. The dealership is covered in muted premium tones like beige, grey, white, and some black. This look contributes to what I think is a modern luxury design language, which suits what the brand is going for. Other highlights of the dealership include more than enough chargers for AITO vehicles, a coffee shop, a full service area, and enough people to cater to all customer needs.
The next destination was around 30-45 minutes away, and lucky for us, the media brand decided that we should be shuttled around in the flagship M9 SUV instead of a bus. This allowed us to immerse ourselves in the product and travel across the massive Chongqing road network in ease, comfort, and ultimate plush-ness.
As a passenger, you get the full AITO treatment, and there are a plethora of creature comforts to play with. Chief among which include a dropdown screen that has a projection feature to entertain the rear passengers. Next up are the enormous screens that line the dashboard area, seats that have massage, cooling, and heating functions, a coolbox for drinks, numerous charging ports, and of course a panoramic sunroof. Needless to say, the journey could’ve been more than 5 hours, and yet we’d be comfortable in the AITO M9.
We reached our next stop, which was an in-depth discussion on the brand and the products. Usually, these presentations are templated and almost similar between brands, but since AITO stands for Adding Intelligence to Auto, it was far from mundane.
Based on what was presented, AITO was born under the SERES automotive group, which is in partnership with the technology giant Huawei. This partnership seems to give AITO an advantage in developing and understanding both the local and global markets. Instead of injecting the market with products designed just for China, AITO spends a considerable amount of time, investment, and resources to make products that appeal to everyone.
After a lengthy discussion, we were able to try the products themselves in a closed loop area. AITO gave us the chance to try the M9, and the moment I sat in the driver’s seat, I immediately felt useless.
Our guide switched on the semi-autonomous driving features that could, in all seriousness, drive the car without my help. It amazed me how easy it seemed for the vehicle to take sharp bends at speed with no need for human input. It also has a multitude of sensors and cameras that help the vehicle detect all sorts of things on the road. It can slow down, turn on the signal lights, and avoid any obstacles just by itself, and what amazed me the most is the seemingly smooth and unhindered experience. All the driver needs to do is turn on the feature and let the car do (most) of the work.
In reality, this feature still needs human input and guidance in order to be safe due to strict regulations and laws. I have a sneaking suspicion that a little tweak to the vehicle’s software can make it fully autonomous. That’s how impressive the stock equipment and sensors are on an AITO product. It even has a self-parking feature that allows the driver to get out of the car before it parks, and in China, it can go as far as drop you off at the basement mall entrance and find its own slot without a driver.
Luxury and technology at scale
Our last stop was the AITO Super Factory, an enormous 1,000,000 square meter facility that makes the AITO cars with precision and quality. Some rough numbers indicated by our guide say that around 1,200 cars are made daily from 0 to a fully finished product, which is amazing considering the number of parts and features that go into an AITO vehicle.
Factory visits are common and more or less the same, but AITO’s Super Factory felt a step further in terms of modernity of machinery and production practices. It shows in the final product how well-made the AITO vehicles are.
AITO sets itself apart
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about AITO is that as a brand, they are actually heading somewhere; there is a clear brand identity and mission that I can sense is achievable. We’re so used to living in a world where mobility is losing its identity; each car looks, feels, and drives the same.
An AITO product falls into its own category of individuality, with cars that stand out based on looks, performance, quality, and luxury. This could be the brand’s recipe for success, a (true) redefinition of luxury through technology.
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