China’s latest large-scale vehicle recall is drawing attention to the safety of advanced driver-assistance technologies.
On Sept. 19, the State Administration for Market Regulation said Xiaomi Automobile Technology Co. would recall 116,887 units of its SU7 standard electric sedan, produced between Feb. 6, 2024, and Aug. 30, 2025. The recall covers nearly one-third of all vehicles the company has delivered to date.
Authorities cited shortcomings in the cars’ Level 2 highway navigation assist systems, noting that in certain extreme situations, the vehicles may not adequately recognize, warn of, or respond to hazards. If drivers fail to intervene in time, the regulator warned, the risk of a crash increases.
Xiaomi launched its first car, the SU7, in March last year, priced between roughly $30,000 and $41,000, with deliveries beginning the following month. The company has since delivered more than 300,000 units. A recall of this magnitude is rare among China’s younger EV makers.
The decision comes as Beijing pushes for stricter oversight of smart-driving technology. Just two days earlier, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released a draft national standard for advanced driver-assistance systems, outlining requirements for human-machine interaction, functional safety, cybersecurity, and data recording. The draft also included testing scenarios in construction zones, roundabouts, and tunnels.
One of those scenarios closely mirrors a fatal accident in March in Tongling, Anhui province, involving a Xiaomi SU7. The car, traveling at more than 110 kilometers an hour, collided with a concrete barrier after the driver took control from the assist system but was unable to avoid impact within a few seconds. Three people were killed. Xiaomi said the car had detected obstacles and issued alerts before the driver intervened, but the crash was unavoidable.
The accident fueled debate in China over the reliability of driver-assistance systems and highlighted their limitations in extreme conditions. Analysts say Chinese automakers, including Xiaomi, are relying heavily on intelligent-driving features to compete with Tesla and domestic rivals, but high-profile incidents could slow adoption.
“Cars are not smartphones or home appliances. The safety threshold is much higher,” said an executive at an autonomous-driving firm. The executive added that manufacturers are increasingly focused on building redundancy into systems to reduce the frequency with which drivers must take over.
For Xiaomi, the recall represents more than just a product safety issue. It could weigh on its reputation in China’s fiercely competitive EV market. With tighter regulations looming, both consumers and investors will be watching how Xiaomi and its peers balance safety with innovation.