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Autonomous driving tech causes alarm in China following fatal NIO car accident, but experts say training mitigates risks

  • Debate has erupted over driver-assistance systems, which offers some autonomous functionality, following a fatal accident involving a NIO ES8 SUV
  • Many buyers say they were not educated about the tech’s limitations, which analysts say is necessary to help prevent future accidents

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NIO runs an autonomous driving road test with its ES8, a seven-seater electric SUV, in Shanghai. NIO’s driver-assistance system has become the subject of controversy following a fatal accident in August. Photo: Handout
Daniel Renin ShanghaiandPearl Liuin Hong Kong

Drivers in mainland China are looking at driver-assistance systems with jaundiced eyes following a fatal car accident that has sparked debate about the possible misuse of the technology meant to be a pit stop on the way to fully autonomous driving.

As police continue to investigate the case involving electric carmaker NIO’s Navigation on Pilot (NOP) system, mounting worries about safety could put a dent in electric vehicle (EV) sales despite the accelerated pace of EV adoption in China.
Industry officials and analysts remain unfazed, however, saying better education for drivers could help avoid tragic accidents and offer more time to leading players like Tesla and Shanghai-based NIO to develop next-generation autonomous driving.

“Fears have been played up,” said David Zhang, a researcher of the automotive industry. “The accidents were tragic and the carmakers would have to assess the risks in their technologies, but it is too early to sign a death warrant for those driver-assistance systems.”

The accident that has captured the nation’s attention happened on August 12, when a 31-year-old entrepreneur was killed while driving NIO’s ES8 SUV. The accident occurred while the NOP system was turned on, NIO said in a statement.

Police in Shandong province are investigating the case with NIO’s assistance. It will be months before the investigation is concluded, analysts said.

The incident has come amid rising concerns about how automation technology is being utilised in cars worldwide. Soon after the accident in Shandong, the US National Highway Transportation Safety Administration launched an investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot feature, which has allegedly been involved in 11 collisions with stopped cars, resulting in one death and 17 injuries, over the past three-and-a-half years.
In China, 500 NIO car owners defended the company in a signed statement that was posted to a chat room in NIO’s official app. This triggered an outcry from thousands of other NIO customers who believe the company has not provided enough information about their vehicles’ NOP function and its limitations.
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