Xiaomi SU7 electric vehicle crash in Anhui leaves 3 dead

A Xiaomi SU7 Standard Edition was involved in a fatal accident in the neighboring Anhui Province on March 29, leaving three people dead. The accident occurred on the Dezhou–Shangrao Expressway.

On April 1, Xiaomi issued a statement on its official account on Weibo, China's equivalent of X (formerly Twitter), expressing deep sorrow over the tragedy.

According to preliminary data released by the company, the vehicle was operating in Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) mode at 116 kilometers per hour before the accident. The highway section where the crash occurred had been modified due to road construction, redirecting traffic into the opposite lane with barriers in place.

The vehicle detected an obstacle ahead, issued a warning, and began decelerating. Shortly afterward, the driver took control, further reducing speed and steering. However, the car collided with a concrete barrier at an estimated speed of 97 km/h.

Following the crash, Xiaomi stated that it promptly contacted the vehicle owner and confirmed that the driver at the time was not the registered owner. Emergency services were immediately notified, including ambulance services and local authorities. Police arrived at the scene and launched a full investigation.

The company released a summary of key data related to the crash:

March 29, 22:27:17 – NOA activated, vehicle speed: 116 km/h.

March 29, 22:28:17 – Mild distraction alert issued.

March 29, 22:36:48 – NOA issued a hands-on warning: "Please hold the steering wheel."

March 29, 22:44:24 – NOA issued a risk alert: "Obstacle ahead," initiated deceleration.

March 29, 22:44:25 – Driver took control, steering left by 22.06 degrees, brake pedal at 31%.

March 29, 22:44:26 – Steering right by 1.06 degrees, brake pedal at 38%.

March 29, 22:44:26-28 – Vehicle collided with a concrete barrier.

March 29, 22:44:28 – eCall emergency system triggered.

March 29, 22:44:39 – eCall connected, confirmed accident, and emergency services were alerted.

March 29, 22:45:06 – Contact established with the vehicle owner, confirming he was not the driver.

March 29, 22:47:15 – Ambulance dispatched.

March 29, approximately 23:00 – Emergency responders arrived on the scene.

In an interview with The Paper on Tuesday, the vehicle owner revealed that one of the victims was his fiancée. The couple, both devoted Xiaomi fans, had been planning their wedding. He stated that he had not yet received any response from Xiaomi or the police regarding the incident.

The owner also noted that all three victims were former classmates, and the accident occurred near the highway exit. He last communicated with his fiancée around 10pm that evening. He expressed skepticism regarding Xiaomi's official statement, though he acknowledged that the company had reached out to him at the correct time.

Xiaomi, which sells smartphones, household appliances and smart gadgets, moved into the auto sector and began manufacturing EVs last year, when it launched the SU7 sedan.