In China, a parked Xiaomi SU7 began to move on its own, sparking outrage online. Xiaomi points to an accidental Bluetooth command, but the incident has reignited the debate over the safety of connected cars.
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A Sedan That Takes Off On Its Own
The incident occurred in late September in Shandong, China. A Xiaomi SU7, parked in front of a residential building, started moving by itself, without a driver or visible remote control. The event was captured on a security camera, showing the car’s owner and his partner rushing out in an attempt to stop the vehicle. Fortunately, there were no accidents or injuries, but the footage quickly went viral, thrusting the SU7 into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
Xiaomi Attempts to Quell the Uproar
In response to the media frenzy, Xiaomi swiftly replied. According to the company, the car had received a signal through its Remote Parking Assist feature, a system that allows the car to be moved over short distances via a smartphone connected through Bluetooth. The logs retrieved indicated that the command had come from an iPhone 15 Pro Max linked to the owner’s account. Xiaomi maintained that the system operated as intended: there was no malfunction, just an accidental activation.
The Explanation Doesn’t Convince Everyone
The owner, however, claimed he hadn’t touched his phone at the time of the incident. He shared all the video footage of the event to support his statement. Xiaomi acknowledged an initial customer service communication error, which had mistakenly identified the iPhone models, contributing to the confusion. After a joint review of the logs, the company confirmed that a parking exit command had indeed been sent via Bluetooth. Yet, this technical justification did not completely dispel all doubts.
The Incident Raises Questions About Control
This kind of incident raises significant concerns about the safety of remote assistance features. What happens if a command is mistakenly sent, or worse, sent maliciously? Xiaomi, already under scrutiny following a recall related to a fatal accident, finds itself once again forced to defend the reliability of its systems. Experts are calling for greater transparency and safeguards, especially concerning unintentional activations.
What’s the Verdict?
This story of the SU7 taking off on its own might just be an isolated incident, but it highlights the gray areas of connected automobiles. Between technological convenience and loss of control, the line is thin. Such episodes remind us that in our rush to automate, we might blur the line between assistance and unwanted autonomy. How comfortable are you with these types of features?