The Chinese giant Xiaomi announced cooperation with the police in an investigation into a tragic accident involving a SU7 car, equipped with an autonomous driving system – said the daily South China Morning Post. Three people lost their lives in the event that occurred on Saturday.
According to preliminary findings, the vehicle moved in navigation mode with autopilot (Navigate on Autopilot – NAO) at a speed of 116 km/hour, when he detected an obstacle on the renovated section of the highway in the province of Anhui in Eastern China.
The system warned the driver, then gave the control, but two seconds later the car hit a concrete barrier at a speed of 97 km/h. According to “South China Morning Post”, the driver and two passengers were killed.
Pictures of a burning wreck appeared in social media. As the pro -government tabloid “Global Times” notes, Chinese Internet users expressed concern about the vehicle safety protocols, asking about the causes of the fire and the possibility of opening the door in an emergency, and also called for a thorough examination of the case. The mother of one of the victims accuses the company of lack of contact and disregard for the tragedy.
Xiaomi appointed an investigating team
The founder of Xiaomi, Lei Jun, expressed “deep regret” in social media and assured of full cooperation with the police. The company has established an internal investigation team And he claims that she contacted the families of victims through local authorities.
In China, most autonomous driving functions currently have a classification of 2 (L2) or L2+, which means that they can control management, acceleration and slowing down, but still require human control in all circumstances. The regulations and regulations in force in this country do not allow drivers to drive without holding their hands on the steering wheel.
Xiaomi, known for the production of smartphones and consumer electronics, entered the electric car market in March 2024, introducing the SU7 model. During the year, 200,000 were sold. copies. After the accident, Xiaomi shares fell by 5 percent. On Tuesday.
Xiaomi emphasizes that the system of autonomous driving in the Su7 car is to support the driver, not replace him.
Source of the main photo: Sarunyu L/Shutterstock