Xiaomi's ceiling-level automatic parking has also crashed

Author | Wang Xiaojuan

Editor | Zhou Zhiyu

The automatic parking feature of Xiaomi, once praised by Xiaomi founder Lei Jun as a "ceiling-level existence," has still "hit a wall."

Recently, several owners of the Xiaomi SU7 standard version reported that between noon on November 14 and early morning on November 15, their vehicles experienced scratches and collisions during the parking process due to a malfunction in the automatic parking function. In severe cases, the rear bumper of the vehicle was even knocked off.

According to Wall Street News, there are currently over 70 registered owners who have reported accidents, with the cause of the accidents almost all being that the system failed to recognize pillars/walls during the automatic parking process, ultimately resulting in collisions.

Xiaomi's response to the accidents has been relatively timely. Xiaomi customer service stated that the main cause of the accidents is a system bug, and they are willing to cover all repair costs. During the repair period, they will provide a daily subsidy of 1,500 Xiaomi points (worth 150 yuan) as transportation compensation.

However, some owners are dissatisfied with Xiaomi's handling plan, believing that the accidents have affected the vehicle's resale value and hoping for higher compensation. Individuals close to Xiaomi indicated that the condition of each vehicle varies, and specific compensation will be determined based on actual circumstances, assuring that user issues will be resolved.

It is worth mentioning that after the accidents occurred, Xiaomi Auto also stated during a Q&A session with netizens on November 18 that Xiaomi's smart parking can still be used normally without a network. All Xiaomi models are equipped with a valet parking assistance feature based on an end-to-end model, capable of cruising at speeds up to 23 km/h in underground parking lots. It can accurately perceive lanes and obstacles within parking lots, enabling obstacle avoidance and even reverse maneuvering.

The series of accidents has led many owners to question Xiaomi Auto's "ceiling-level valet parking" feature. This has also doused cold water on Lei Jun's ambitious claim to place Xiaomi in the top tier of smart driving by the end of this year.

Currently, the importance of smart driving capabilities in consumer car purchasing decisions is continuously increasing. Over the past two years, car manufacturers have engaged in fierce competition regarding smart driving capabilities. Among these, automatic parking is a significant feature that showcases smart driving capabilities and is a focal point during new car launches. Even in the confined space of a launch event stage, cars can autonomously drive up and park in designated spots.

An individual from a smart driving company stated that although the core competition in the market currently revolves around urban NOA and end-to-end capabilities, the functions that users utilize most frequently and experience most intuitively are still scenarios like parking. In terms of precision, parking requires close-range recognition and agile response, making it more challenging than driving.

Before Xiaomi, automotive brands like Avita and IM Motors also experienced accidents related to automatic parking. These companies have also positioned smart driving as a major selling point.

However, whether it is Xiaomi's current automatic parking malfunction or accidents occurring when consumers use smart driving features from other brands on the road, even leading to safety issues, it indicates that car manufacturers do not provide sufficient warnings regarding safety when promoting smart driving features.

Under current regulations, the so-called smart driving that consumers can use on the road is still only L2-level assisted driving, and the responsibility in the event of an accident still lies with the driver. Few car manufacturers, like Xiaomi in this instance, are willing to proactively take responsibility and acknowledge that the issue lies within their smart driving system In the current rapid development of intelligent driving technology, which continues to facilitate people's travel, safety has always been a topic of ongoing discussion. For newcomers to the automotive industry like Xiaomi, which has transitioned from 3C digital products, users often trust its capabilities accumulated over the past decade in software.

This incident serves as a reminder to Xiaomi Auto and the industry that the rules of the automotive industry still prioritize safety. Xiaomi Auto and the industry need to further recognize that the impact of system bugs in cars and smartphones is not on the same scale.

Currently, the competition in the intelligent driving industry remains fierce, and Xiaomi Auto's intelligent driving is also advancing towards end-to-end capabilities.

On November 15th, Lei Jun showcased Xiaomi SU7's "parking space to parking space" intelligent driving capability for the first time during a live broadcast. The release of this feature signifies another significant advancement for Xiaomi Auto in the field of intelligent driving, especially in the application of end-to-end technology. Xiaomi will begin targeted invitation testing on November 16th and plans to launch a pioneer version by the end of December.

At the same time, Lei Jun revealed during the live broadcast that Xiaomi's investment in intelligent driving technology research and development has reached 5.5 billion RMB over the past three years. Xiaomi's intelligent driving technology large model has already learned from 3 million video clips, and this number is expected to reach 10 million by the end of the year.

The substantial investment is an exploration for more features and stronger capabilities, and it should also serve as a guarantee for safety.

This incident not only prompts Xiaomi Auto to rethink the boundaries of technological safety in the intelligent era but also serves as a wake-up call for the industry that safety is always the most important boundary in the automotive sector