A fatal crash involving Xiaomi’s SU7 in assisted driving mode raises safety concerns over EV technology in China as investigations and public scrutiny intensify.
 |
| A Xiaomi SU7 crash in China, with its autopilot engaged, has sparked concerns about assisted driving safety, EV fire risks, and the company’s crisis response. Image: Xiaomi |
Beijing, China, April 2, 2025:
Chinese tech giant Xiaomi has come under intense scrutiny after a fatal crash involving its SU7 electric vehicle, which was in assisted driving mode moments before the accident. The company has pledged full cooperation with police investigations amid rising concerns over EV safety and autonomous driving technology.
The accident occurred on Saturday night along the Dezhou-Shangrao Expressway in Anhui province, killing three college students. Xiaomi confirmed that the vehicle was operating in Navigate On Autopilot (NAO) mode, traveling at 116 km/h (72 mph), when it detected an obstacle in a roadwork zone and alerted the driver. Control was handed back, but just seconds later, the car crashed into a concrete barrier at 97 km/h.
Footage shared online showed the vehicle engulfed in flames, with later images revealing the charred wreckage. The incident has fueled debate across Chinese social media about Xiaomi’s assisted driving technology, the fire risks associated with EVs, and whether the SU7’s emergency systems functioned properly.
Xiaomi founder Lei Jun expressed his condolences in a social media post on Tuesday, saying he was “heavy-hearted” and that the company would “fully cooperate with the police investigation.”
The mother of the driver, posting from an account verified by Weibo and local media, accused Xiaomi of failing to contact the victims’ families. "Why did the car catch fire after the collision? Could the doors be opened in an emergency? We just want answers," she wrote.
Xiaomi, widely known for its smartphones and consumer electronics, entered the EV sector in March 2024 with the SU7, which became an instant bestseller, selling over 200,000 units in its first year. The standard model is priced at around 210,000 yuan ($28,900).
Since the crash, Xiaomi’s stock has dropped by approximately five percent.
China’s electric vehicle industry leads the world in autonomous driving technology, with Xiaomi touting its intelligent driving system’s ability to overtake and change lanes autonomously. However, the company maintains that its system is not a substitute for driver responsibility.
In response to mounting scrutiny, Xiaomi has dispatched a team to investigate the crash and stated that it has been working through local authorities to contact the victims’ families.