BMW establishes largest Asia-based IT R&D hub in Nanjing to drive digital transformation in China

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On July 18, BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. signed a cooperation agreement with the authority of Jianye District in Nanjing, officially announcing the establishment of its wholly owned subsidiary, BMW (Nanjing) Information Technology Co., Ltd., according to a post on BMW China's WeChat account.

The new entity becomes one of BMW Group's six global IT R&D centers, its first and only such facility in China, and the company's largest IT research base in Asia. Positioned as a cornerstone of BMW's digital transformation in China, the new center will enhance smart manufacturing capabilities and accelerate local development and production of BMW's next-generation models.

Previously operating as the Nanjing branch of LingYue Digital Information Technology Co., Ltd., BMW (Nanjing) Information Technology Co., Ltd. has been an integral part of BMW's digital innovation system in China since its inception in 2021. The transition to an independent entity will streamline decision-making, improve resource allocation, and increase operational efficiency. It will also attract top talent in critical areas such as artificial intelligence and software engineering, reinforcing BMW's future-facing digital competencies.

Since its founding, the Nanjing facility has grown more than fourfold, now boasting over 600 digital professional talents with global expertise. Its technological capabilities span AI, Java, SAP, cloud computing, and big data. Notably, the company has developed its own AI-assisted development platform, "JoyCode," which enables 25%–30% of code to be AI-generated, significantly boosting development speed and quality control. The Nanjing unit is also certified under both CMMI and TMMI frameworks and will adopt ISO software quality standards this year to further strengthen its technical foundation across BMW's value chain in China.

The new company will play a crucial role in supporting the digital backbone of BMW's local production strategy. With the first Neue Klasse model scheduled to roll off the production line in Shenyang in 2026, the Nanjing subsidiary will deliver end-to-end digital solutions covering R&D, manufacturing, procurement, and logistics—enhancing production efficiency and ensuring premium quality standards for domestically built models.

The founding of BMW (Nanjing) Information Technology Co., Ltd. marks a major step forward in BMW Group's broader strategy across digitalization, electrification, and sustainability. As one of BMW’s global IT innovation hubs, the Nanjing company will continue advancing in frontier areas including AI and AI-assisted development, digital twins, smart manufacturing, and digital platforms. It is set to become a vital bridge linking China's innovation with BMW's global IT ecosystem.

BMW is also laying the groundwork for a comprehensive smart ecosystem tailored to China in preparation for the localization of its Neue Klasse models. Strategic collaborations include co-developing driver assistance systems with Momenta to adapt to local road conditions, building a customized AI engine with Alibaba based on the Tongyi large language model, and integrating DeepSeek's AI into the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. These partnerships exemplify BMW's open and collaborative localization strategy and further shape its digital ecosystem in China.