By Pablo Salapantan
THE NUMBER of Chinese manufacturers continues to expand exponentially, and in a world that can only accommodate so many, brands are looking for the edge that will set them apart.
AITO is one such brand. A recent entrant to the overflowing Philippine automotive scene, it was formally launched at this year’s edition of the Manila International Auto Show (MIAS). Keen to show what it’s all about, members of the media and content creators were recently invited to the company’s home base in Chongqing, China.
CYBER TOUR AT CYBER CITYChongqing is a city located in the upper middle part of China and is built on the side of the mighty Yangtze River. Over the past few years, the city has gained a lot of popularity due to its rapid modernization, and seemingly infinite number of developments despite its undulating terrain. Locals like to refer to it as an 8D (eight-dimensional) city.
This newfound popularity amid continuous modernization and expansion has also made Chongqing known for burgeoning luxury and the high life, as evidenced by the many top-notch hotels, shops, and even cars on the road. Even its skyline impresses. It’s no wonder AITO calls this place home.
ADDING INTELLIGENCE TO AUTOOur trip, called the “Cyber Tour,” started in earnest a day after our arrival, and we were given a 360-degree lowdown on the brand. First, we were brought to an AITO dealership to get a feel of how the brand deals with its customers.
One thing immediately apparent is the more premium feel AITO wants to present to people. The dealership was swathed in clean colors of gray, white, and other muted tones coupled with modern design touches all around the dealership. Another thing I noted was how clean the dealership was; without a single smudge or errant dust bunny in the area.
The next stop was around 45 minutes away and, joy of joys, our whole day would be spent aboard the flagship AITO M9 premium SUV. My carmates and I took in the apparent plushness of the vehicle, with no compromise in terms of features and creature comforts. The whole journey was immediately better because we weren’t in a bus like usual brand trips abroad.
We arrived at the next stop to attend a brand and product explainer conference. Here is where I learned that AITO is a sub-brand of the Seres Auto group that also has ties to mega tech giant Huawei. I listened intently as the product expert explained the many advancements and features that go into an AITO product. This is a brand that seems to recognize the global market as well as the local, instead of “force-feeding” it with products made best for China. AITO has allocated considerable resources to make a truly global product.
AITO invests heavily in being able to cater to whatever a market calls for, not only diving deep into EVs, but having other powertrain options like range extender models to ease the pain point of range anxiety. I think the most impressive though is how AITO uses technology to present what it thinks the modern definition of luxury is. AITO products are probably the most technologically advanced in the market, with high-level semi-autonomous driving capabilities, passive and active safety features, and the immersive cabin experience.
INTELLIGENT BUILD AND DRIVEAfter our crash course on the brand, we were given the opportunity to drive its vehicles in a closed loop area. I got dibs, and our guide put on the semi-autonomous features that nearly made me feel insignificant.
The AITO M9 that I was “driving” did almost everything for me, I merely sat in the driver’s seat and would lightly hold the steering wheel, but the M9 did the rest. It was able to take sharp corners by itself without my inputs; it sensed the road ahead to such a degree that it properly slowed down, turned on the signal lights, and merged properly through intersections with precision and smoothness.
I sat there bewildered and amazed. We even got to preview the AITO self-parking feature that allows the driver to get out of the car before it parks; then it literally parks itself. One other cool feature is passenger privacy, wherein a built-in headrest speaker for the driver seat plays the opposite sound and frequency to hide what the passengers are talking about, a small but very thoughtful feature.
Our last stop for the day was the AITO Super Factory, a one-million-square-meter facility where these future-ready vehicles are built with precision, quality, and speed. While factory tours are not foreign to us members of the media, the sheer size and scale of the Super Factory gave us the idea that AITO means business.
NOT JUST ANOTHER BRANDI’ve been to countless trips abroad with multiple China brands, but this is probably the first time where I felt a marque has something unique to offer; something that others don’t have.
As a brand, AITO has found its identity and is uncompromisingly sticking to the idea that technology is the new luxury. Bolstered by this, it seems AITO is headed somewhere as opposed to aimlessly just selling cars.
The best part? AITO vehicles are now in the country for Filipinos to check out and buy.