Chinese language authorities warned drivers to remain vigilant and scale back the usage of superior driver-assistance know-how throughout the Qing Ming Competition vacation, after three individuals died in an accident involving a Xiaomi Corp. electrical automotive simply over every week in the past.
Indicators saying the usage of smart-driving methods are banned, or suggesting drivers deploy them with warning, have been noticed by social media customers throughout the April 4-6 lengthy weekend on expressways in Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, in response to local media reports. The Xiaoxiang Morning Herald additionally cited Anhui site visitors police telling the general public to keep away from utilizing superior driver know-how if potential.
Police are nonetheless investigating the March 29 incident, when three girls touring in a Xiaomi SU7 on an expressway in Anhui died. The automotive’s Navigate on Autopilot operate was engaged shortly earlier than a bit with roadworks. Lower than 20 minutes later — and after warnings of obstacles within the highway — the car slammed into concrete fencing on the facet of the lane, in response to an preliminary report from Xiaomi on April 1. The EV subsequently burst into flames, in response to media stories.
Some social media customers steered that the indicators warning to take care when utilizing superior driving methods have been round since final 12 months. However with the deadly accident contemporary in individuals’s minds, extra drivers appear to be taking discover of the warnings and adopting a extra cautious method.
Xiaomi has additionally maintained a low profile because the accident. Founder and Chief Government Officer Lei Jun, who normally posts on Chinese language social media each day, was silent for 5 days after he expressed condolences to the victims’ households. He resurfaced on Sunday to publish a short message to mark the fifteenth anniversary of the corporate’s founding. For its tenth anniversary, which fell throughout Covid, Lei streamed a three-hour speech commemorating the event.
The accident could not solely be a setback for Xiaomi’s EV enterprise, but in addition for the likes of Tesla Inc. and BYD Co. which have staked sensible driving as the way forward for the business and a know-how that would give them a lift over rivals.
{Photograph}: The controls and display screen interface of a Xiaomi SU7 Extremely electrical car on the MWC25 tech present in Barcelona, Spain, on Monday, March 3, 2024. Photograph credit score: Angel Garcia/Bloomberg
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