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After tricking his SUV into “full self-driving” mode, a videotape of a guy dangerously driving his Li Auto ONE SUV has gone viral in China. The driver in the footage can be seen reclining his seat all the way back and taking his hands off the steering wheel, letting the vehicle drive automatically utilizing driver-assist capabilities.
Li Auto Inc. ($LI), also known as Li Xiang, is a Beijing-based electric vehicle startup started six years ago. While just having one car available on the market — the Li Xiang ONE premium SUV, which means to “perfect one” — the firm has continued to expand its sales volume in China.
What sets Li Auto apart from its competitors, such as NIO, which is only a year younger than Li, is that the carmaker has concentrated on Luxury PHEVs, to begin with. However, in China, plug-in hybrids are still classified as NEVs as part of the government’s subsidy-supported effort to electrify its cars.
Despite the EV model, the Chinese web is more concerned about what occurred inside the Li-One, where a driver videotaped himself deceiving his NEV into driving by itself.
While relaxing on the road, the proprietor of Li Auto ONE videos his irresponsible driving
Video of a guy duping his Li Auto ONE into driving for him has rapidly gone viral in China. The man is completely reclined beside another person in the SUV, which is traveling on its own in the brief video.
The driver appeared to have enabled the Li Auto ONE’s auto-driving assist technology, then employed deception to mislead the car into believing he was still driving attentively. A seat belt clip was used, as well as a weighted device attached to the steering wheel to mimic his touching it.
In addition, the driver lowered his seat fully to bypass the active Driver Monitoring System (DMS). Here’s the video:
A video of two Chinese citizens showing off the auto-driving system of their Li Auto’s car by lying flat on the driver seat while running on a highway sparked backlash on social media yesterday. The Chinese NEV maker said it strongly objects such behavior. pic.twitter.com/UyLXdfg4V9
— Yicai Global 第一财经 (@yicaichina) August 5, 2021
The footage has generated a wider discussion in China on social media regarding reckless driving and the potential of drivers to fool driver aid systems, such as those found in the Li Auto SUV, in this manner.
Li Auto reacted quickly to denounce this practice. The following is their Weibo post (which has been translated from Chinese):
We have noticed that some car owners mistakenly use the driving assistance system of the ideal car when using dangerous devices such as seat belt buckles. In this case, Ideal Car firmly opposes it and requires all car owners to use the driving assistance system in the correct way.
caution! The driving assistance system of an ideal car must be worn with a seat belt before it can be used. Do not leave the steering wheel with your hands while the vehicle is driving. Ideal ONE’s steering wheel has a grip sensor, which will alert the driver through visual and audible alarms. If the driver does not take over the steering wheel for a period of time, the system will exit and be in this driving. The use of assisted driving functions is prohibited. Ideal ONE provides assisted driving functions instead of automatic driving. Please use it correctly, drive safely, and cherish life.
We resolutely oppose this act of posing for photos in disregard of the personal safety of ourselves, our family members, and all traffic participants, and please do not spread such illegal videos.
Weibo post reaction
