Is the car "autonomous" driving at a speed of 120 kilometers per hour? Ideal response, lawyer's statement Ideal | car | statement

Recently, a video of "Ideal Automobile Autonomous Highway" has attracted attention.

The video shows an ideal car driving on a highway, with a speed soaring to 120 kilometers per hour. The driver's seat is tied with a seat belt but empty, and there is a bottle of beverage inserted on the steering wheel. At the same time, the passenger in the passenger seat calmly used their phone, and on the large screen in front of the passenger, a TV drama was still playing.

In response to this, the customer service of Ideal Automobile stated that we have noticed that some users have displayed uncivilized driving behavior on social media, bypassing system monitoring or engaging in a series of dangerous operations from system warning to rollback. This is something we firmly prevent. Lawyers have stated that this behavior not only violates the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China, but is also suspected of endangering public safety through dangerous methods.

Video screenshot.

Ideal Automobile Customer Service Response: Resolutely Eliminate

In a video circulating online, a person inside the car said, "We are sitting in the back seat and letting it drive for us. We are watching the show." This behavior quickly sparked heated discussions, with some netizens questioning, "Does the host manufacturer have the right or obligation to prohibit the account from continuing to use the assisted driving function in this situation?" Some netizens also said, "If you play like this, it will not be good to involve others on the highway."

In this regard, the customer service of Ideal Automobile stated that for example, when using assisted driving, lying flat while watching TV shows, or in order to create "autonomous driving", or even when using functions, people leave the driver's seat, etc., this is something we firmly prohibit. At present, it is still assisted driving, not autonomous driving. The driver is the first person in charge of the vehicle and needs to keep the steering wheel in hand, ready to take over at any time.

Ideal car customer service responded.

According to the official website of Ideal Automobile, the driving assistance system is a driving assistance function that cannot cope with all traffic, weather, and road conditions. Drivers need to maintain active control of the vehicle at all times. Please use with caution in complex and variable traffic conditions, wet and slippery roads in ice, snow, and rain, waterlogged or muddy roads, poor visibility, rough mountain roads, or highway entrances and exits.

It is obvious that the owner's behavior in the video does not meet the requirement of the assisted driving system to maintain active control of the vehicle at all times. Previously, the video of an ideal car driver driving without a driver on the highway had attracted attention.

In response to the above behavior, Ideal Automobile responded on Weibo in 2021, stating, "Ideal Automobile's assisted driving system must be fastened with a seat belt before it can be used. During vehicle driving, do not leave the steering wheel with both hands. Ideal ONE's steering wheel is equipped with grip sensing sensors, which will alert the driver through visual and auditory alarms. If the driver does not take over the steering wheel for a period of time, the system will exit and the use of assisted driving function will be prohibited during this driving."

However, from the situation in this video, it can be seen that the two major system firewalls, "seat belts" and "grip force sensing sensors" set up by the Ideal Car, were easily cracked by car owners using "empty seat belts" and "drinks inserted on the steering wheel", thus achieving the effect of "autonomous driving" in the video.

Screenshot of Ideal Automobile Weibo.

Lawyer: Suspected of endangering public safety through dangerous methods

Regarding the phenomenon in the video, Yan Bing, Senior Partner of Beijing Times Jiuhe Law Firm, believes that this behavior not only violates the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China, but is also suspected of endangering public safety through dangerous methods. "The motor vehicle was driving at high speed without a driver, and other people inside the vehicle were actually chatting and even feeling complacent while watching TV dramas, reflecting the subjective intentions of several individuals involved."

He further analyzed that this incident is no longer just an illegal act at the level of road traffic law, because at a speed of 120 kilometers per hour, a traffic accident is highly likely to cause significant casualties to passengers and third parties. This can be foreseen by people with normal cognition. Therefore, this incident is suspected of endangering public safety through dangerous methods. The actual user of the vehicle should bear the main responsibility, and the smug and boastful behavior of other passengers in the vehicle has also played a certain role in fueling the situation, and should be recognized as secondary responsibility. The behavior of a few people posting videos to show off in the car has brought negative publicity to the general public.

From past accidents, relying solely on the assisted driving system of the car itself does not mean that the owner can have a worry free driving experience on the highway.

In 2022, the accident of the Ideal ONE high-speed rear end construction vehicle attracted attention. The video showed that an Ideal ONE collided directly with a construction vehicle parked on the roadside with double flashing lights at a speed of 77 kilometers per hour on a certain highway section.

In response to the accident of the rear end engineering vehicle, the official response of Ideal Automobile stated, "The user has activated the NOA function, but the user has been in a situation of getting rid of it. This accident is beyond the scope of ADAS for the 2021 Ideal ONE."

Yan Bing believes that under the current framework of road traffic laws and the level of development of motor vehicle technology in China, motor vehicles are still unable to become independent traffic participants without the driver. In other words, motor vehicles can only be driven on the road through the driver's guidance. The first person responsible for motor vehicle obligations under road traffic laws is the driver. Currently, all functions of autonomous driving cannot be separated from the word "assistance", and there is no technology from any manufacturer that can completely replace human driving.

He suggested that the public security organs should take this matter seriously and serve as a warning to others. At the same time, it is also called on vehicle manufacturers to be cautious in promoting intelligent configurations in the sales process, objectively introducing them, and avoiding misleading consumer perceptions.