“High Configuration Shown, Low Configuration Shrinks” Chinese Auto Companies Accused of “Double Standards”

“Full-scenario intelligent driving,” “zero intervention,” and “safer than humans” – these futuristic slogans have become the standard marketing rhetoric in China’s new energy vehicle industry. However, the disparity between ideal and reality often leaves people astonished.

Recently, a Xiaomi SU7 car caught fire and burned after colliding with the median guardrail while traveling on the Deshang Expressway in Tongling, Anhui. This incident has continued to escalate, with much attention being given to which domestically produced batteries the vehicle was carrying, with Xiaomi, BYD, and CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology) all providing their explanations.

According to Tencent’s “Prism” report, preventing damage to battery cells during collisions is a key focus of car manufacturers. On March 22, Xiaomi Group Chairman Lei Jun shared a video on his personal social media account showing a watermelon coated with a “bulletproof coating” being dropped from the 6th floor of a Xiaomi factory without sustaining any damage.

Lei Jun stated that this coating is used on the bottom of the battery pack of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra to prevent damage to the battery cells in case of a bottoming-out accident. However, this coating was not used on the standard version of the SU7.

Regarding the fire accident involving the Xiaomi SU7, an article on Ifeng.com commented that all current “intelligent driving myths” on the market seem like mirages in the capital market, sounding like Steve Jobs when promoting features but sounding like Jia Yueting when talking about responsibility.

According to a Financial report on Ifeng.com dated April 5, there are significant differences in the intelligent driving configurations between the standard and Max versions of the Xiaomi SU7. The standard version only features a pure visual solution and lacks crucial hardware like lidar.

However, Lei Jun demonstrated extreme scenarios like “100m detection range” and “easily handling complex road conditions” using the Max version at the launch event. What’s more perplexing is his public statement claiming that “any Xiaomi car uses end-to-end autonomous driving,” creating confusion for ordinary consumers in distinguishing the substantive differences between different versions.

The worrisome trend of “high-spec demonstrations, low-spec shrinkage” in marketing deception has become a common practice in the entire industry.

When XPeng G9 was released in 2022, it heavily promoted the XNGP system’s ability to achieve full-scenario intelligent driving. However, even the base models lacked fundamental safety features like AEB (automatic emergency braking system) and lane-level navigation.

Even if consumers spend a hefty sum to purchase high-end models, they cannot escape the marketing tactics used by automakers to exaggerate the actual effectiveness of “intelligent driving.”

On February 1 this year, Huawei executive Yu Chengdong boasted on Weibo that the “Huawei Wisdom World R7 drove 1345 kilometers autonomously.” Yu Chengdong even once publicly stated that once reaching Level 3 autonomous driving, the driver could directly go to sleep. He Xiaopeng also mentioned in January this year: “Sometimes I let Xiaopeng drive on its own during rush hour, while I join online meetings.” NIO executive Shen Fei went further to reveal that “with automated driving assistance, you can eat while driving with peace of mind.”

However, the harsh reality is that the current so-called “intelligent driving” technology still only remains at the level of assisted driving, at most reaching Level 2.

Automotive expert Fang Ligeng points out: Packaging Level 2 assisted driving as “freeing up hands” is a serious misrepresentation to consumers. All vehicles equipped with Level 2 driving assistance explicitly require drivers to maintain full attention throughout the journey and be ready to take over the vehicle at any time.

During the Xiaomi SU7 launch event in March 2024, Lei Jun emphasized the introduction of Xiaomi’s self-developed AEB Pro function. When the big screen switched to demonstrate the Highway Navigation Assistance (NOA) function, the “construction avoidance” scene prominently featured in the highlight list.

However, on March 29, three female students drove the Xiaomi SU7 in NOA mode at 116km/h and entered a road section requiring lane changes due to construction. Sadly, the highlighted “construction avoidance” function promoted during the event did not save their lives. It was only after this fatal accident that Xiaomi officially acknowledged that the AEB system was ineffective against common construction obstacles like cones and water barrels.

As the turmoil within China’s automotive industry intensifies, Lei Jun, chairman of Xiaomi Group, expressed his “despair” after the 2024 Beijing Auto Show, criticizing Chinese automakers for blindly relying on deception.

He said, “If you can’t explain things clearly, one accident will make this car unsellable. Who would dare to buy this car? Who will take responsibility? Car manufacturers, suppliers, and the government are not willing to take responsibility, and in the end, only the users have to bear it.”