Xiaomi's SU7 electric car mishap has gone viral in China. The vehicle, equipped with a smart parking system, erroneously threw itself into a pond while trying to park. The glossy surface of the pond was mistaken by the system as tarmac, and thereby thought of it as an unobstructed parking space. The incident, captured on video and shared widely online, shows the dangers of relying on technology, and the consequences if the software decides to malfunction.
Xiaomi SU7 parking failure
The drama unfolded at an undisclosed location near a serene pond in China, where the vehicle's occupants – seemingly confident in the SU7's autonomous prowess – activated the valet parking mode before stepping out. The car glided forward with unnerving precision, oblivious to the sheer drop-off mere metres away. Its front bumper kissed the pond's surface, sending ripples across the water, before the system finally halted, averting a full submersion.
Footage of the near-disaster, first shared on X by Nexta TV, shows the SU7's sleek form inching towards the edge, its sensors apparently mistaking the reflective water for clear tarmac. The episode occurred shortly after Xiaomi rolled out a winter over-the-air update, intended to refine the parking assistance, remote parking, and slot-finding capabilities. Yet, in this non-standard environment – far from the neat lines of a multi-storey car park – the technology faltered.
Eyewitness accounts and netizen chatter suggest the pond's edge posed a tricky challenge: uneven terrain and a glassy water surface likely confounded the system's spatial mapping, leading it to classify the hazard as unoccupied space. The bumper's brief bath raised immediate fears of water seeping into the battery pack, though no major damage has been reported thus far.
Xiaomi SU7 owner calls the feature 'unsafe'
The SU7's beleaguered owner wasted no time in voicing his dismay, labelling the smart parking function outright unsafe and lodging a formal complaint with Xiaomi. Insisting on full compensation for potential repairs and emotional distress, the owner has vowed to escalate the matter if unmet, highlighting a growing chorus of scepticism among early adopters of Xiaomi's foray into electric vehicles.
This is not an isolated gripe. Social media erupted with clips and critiques, many users mocking the "goof-up" as a classic case of tech hubris. "Who parks next to a pond and hits 'autopilot'?" quipped one commenter, while others speculated on the financial hit – estimates for bumper fixes alone run into thousands of yuan.
Xiaomi asks the driver to 'read the manual'
In a swift riposte, Xiaomi has pointed an unyielding finger at the driver's due diligence – or lack thereof. Citing the SU7's user manual, the company reiterated that activating autoparking demands the operator personally verify the path is unobstructed.
Xiaomi's SU7 was launched amid fanfare in 2024 and was lauded for its Porsche-esque flair and zippy performance. After this incident, social media has been abuzz with hilarious reactions. Some of them can be seen below:
