Classic sci-fi movies had us hoping 2026 would have flying cars and homes with robots doing all our chores. Well, that might not be exactly the case, but looking at how far technology has come, we’re probably closer to that futuristic world than we think. If there’s one company that’s particularly determined to bring that vision to life, it’s Xiaomi.

Xiaomi has been on an impressive run since it entered the market in 2010 with its own operating system, MIUI (now Xiaomi HyperOS), and launched its first smartphone, the Xiaomi Mi 1, the following year. Fast forward to today, not even two decades later, and the Chinese tech giant has ranked among the world’s top three smartphone brands for 24 straight quarters, alongside Apple and Samsung.

To folks who aren’t particularly into tech, Xiaomi might just be another smartphone manufacturer. But our recent trip to Beijing, China, where we explored its sprawling headquarters, smartphone factory, and electric vehicle (EV) factory, proved the company has much bigger plans. At the heart of it all is Xiaomi’s Human × Car × Home strategy, an ambitious vision of a future where your personal devices, home appliances, and even your car work together to make everyday life easier.

Sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, right? Well, we got a glimpse of what that future could look like, and here are some of the coolest things we experienced.

Where a smartphone is born every six seconds

At Xiaomi’s Smartphone Smart Factory in Changping, Beijing, machines do most of the heavy lifting. The massive facility houses 11 production lines capable of producing more than 10 million flagship smartphones annually. That’s roughly one phone every six seconds!

The factory has an overall automation rate of 81%, with critical processes running at 100% automation. Xiaomi even developed its own software to monitor production, check quality, and automatically reorder materials when supplies run low.

But there’s still a human touch. During our tour, we saw workers manually inspecting phone cameras to make sure there weren’t any pesky dust particles that could affect image quality.

And there’s a reason Xiaomi puts so much effort into its smartphones. Under its Human × Car × Home strategy, the phone is essentially the command center of an entire connected ecosystem.

Think about it: The same device you use to scroll through TikTok, take photos, and message friends could also manage your home appliances and communicate with your car. That’s the future Xiaomi is building through its HyperOS operating system.

A home that practically thinks for you

Yes, the same company that makes your smartphone also makes appliances that could make your chores less stressful. Through its Mijia smart-home line, Xiaomi has expanded into household appliances, from air conditioners and refrigerators to washing machines and robot vacuum cleaners. At the Xiaomi showroom, we even saw smart curtains open through a simple voice command. Imagine not having to get out of bed just to let some sunlight in!

But Xiaomi’s vision goes beyond remote controls. The company is investing in AI to create an ecosystem that can eventually anticipate users’ needs based on their routines and preferences, with their permission.

And this isn’t some far-off concept. Xiaomi’s connected-device ecosystem already spans more than 1.16 billion devices worldwide.

Watching electric cars come together is a whole different experience

Who would’ve thought a company best known for smartphones would eventually be building cars at such a grand scale? Seeing how a car comes together, from individual components to a fully assembled vehicle, was easily a highlight of the trip.

Xiaomi’s massive EV factory in Yizhuang, Beijing, spans more than 700,000 square meters. Much like its smartphone factory, Xiaomi’s EV facility relies heavily on automation, with an overall automation rate above 90%.

One particularly fascinating process involves Xiaomi’s self-developed die-casting technology, which forms dozens of separate car components into a single large piece in just 120 seconds. We also saw how quickly parts could be assembled. Imagine watching robots attach car doors in less than a minute!

And Xiaomi isn’t leaving everything to the robots. Every vehicle undergoes inspections and testing before delivery, including a run through the factory’s 2.5-kilometer test track featuring 18 different road conditions.

Getting up close and personal with Xiaomi’s futuristic EVs

Seeing how EVs are manufactured is exciting, but exploring them up close is a whole different experience.

At the Xiaomi Campus showroom, we checked out the sleek Xiaomi SU7 and YU7. But one vehicle really caught our attention: the Xiaomi SkyNomad N90, which looked perfect for people who love road trips without giving up the comforts of home.

Its spacious interior features Lounge Mode, which lets the front seats rotate 180 degrees. Paired with a projector, it transforms the cabin into a social space. The seats can also recline into a flat sleeping area. The Studio Edition even features a motorized pop-up roof that creates an additional loft-like space above the cabin.

It’s an interesting glimpse into how Xiaomi is reimagining mobility, where vehicles can become extensions of our living spaces.

Feeling the speed of the Xiaomi SU7 firsthand

What’s a visit to an EV factory without experiencing one of its cars on the road? Luckily, we also got the opportunity to ride in a Xiaomi SU7 during a test drive at the factory’s built-in track.

One of the most exciting parts was experiencing just how quickly the car could accelerate – from 0 to 100 km/h in under 2 seconds! The sensation of being pushed back into your seat as the vehicle picked up speed was definitely a thrill. Despite that burst of power, the ride also felt remarkably smooth, giving us a taste of what Xiaomi’s electric vehicle technology can deliver.

Part of a bigger ecosystem

Beyond the thrill of the drive, what makes Xiaomi’s EV ambitions particularly interesting is how they fit into the company’s bigger ecosystem.

In mainland China, Xiaomi is already connecting its vehicles with its smartphones and other devices through HyperOS. The idea is that your digital life doesn’t have to stop when you step out of your home and into your car. Your phone, your home, and your vehicle could eventually become parts of one seamless experience.

And after seeing what Xiaomi has been working on, that vision suddenly doesn’t sound so impossible.

The smartphones are still pretty exciting

With all the electric cars, smart appliances, and futuristic factories we got to explore, it’s almost easy to forget that smartphones remain a huge part of Xiaomi’s business. But trust us, there’s no shortage of interesting things happening on that front, either.

At the Xiaomi Campus, we got a closer look at the company’s growing smartphone lineup, including its foldable phone designs. Foldables have been around for a while now, but there’s still something undeniably cool about a device that can transform from a regular smartphone into a larger screen. We’re definitely keeping our fingers crossed that more of Xiaomi’s foldable innovations eventually make their way to the Philippine market.

There’s also the upcoming Xiaomi 18 Pro Series, which builds on one of the more interesting design ideas introduced by the Xiaomi 17 Series last year: a display on the back of the phone.

The future isn’t just about having cooler gadgets

After exploring Xiaomi’s headquarters and factories, one thing became clear: the company is thinking about how technology fits into nearly every part of our day.

That’s what makes its Human × Car × Home vision interesting. It’s not necessarily about having the fanciest gadgets, but making technology work together so seamlessly that you barely have to think about it.

Of course, there’s still a long way to go before everything we saw in Beijing becomes part of everyday life in the Philippines. But the trip gave us an exciting preview of what’s possible.

Back in the ’80s, people imagined we’d be zooming around in flying cars by 2026. We might not be there yet, but we’ve got cars that communicate with phones, homes that respond to our voices, and robots building the devices we use every day.

Maybe we’re already living in the future.

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