China's Xiaomi EV drives off on its own while parked

By Phong Ngo October 8, 2025 | 08:28 pm PT

A Xiaomi SU7 electric car in Shandong, China, unexpectedly began moving on its own while parked, prompting concerns over smart vehicle safety.

On Sept. 30, owner Li Xiaoshuang parked his light blue Xiaomi SU7 outside a store in Weihai City. Minutes later, as he was inside shopping with a woman, the car suddenly rolled forward without anyone inside. Li ran out to chase after the vehicle, according to Carscoops.

The owner said he immediately contacted Xiaomi’s customer service team. Representatives told him that the electric vehicle had received a remote parking command from a device labeled "iPhone 16.2." The feature, known as Remote Parking Assist, allows the car to automatically move in or out of parking spaces when activated through a smartphone app, according to CarNewsChina.

Chinas Xiaomi EV drives off on its own while parked

Xiaomi SU7 electric car. Photo from Instagram

The owner denied using his phone, saying he did not own an iPhone 16. The confusion was later clarified when engineers explained that "16.2" referred not to an iPhone model, but to an internal identifier Apple assigns to devices, specifically his iPhone 15 Pro Max. A second device, an iPhone 16 Pro belonging to the woman seen in the footage, was labeled under code "17.1."

After reviewing the vehicle’s system logs and smartphone activity data, Xiaomi engineers confirmed that the car had indeed received a valid remote parking command from the owner’s phone at that moment. The company verified that all vehicle systems were functioning correctly.

Xiaomi issued a formal apology for the misunderstanding and thanked the owner for cooperating in the investigation, emphasizing that the vehicle’s systems had operated as designed. The owner later acknowledged the company’s findings after witnessing the data verification process and urged others to stop spreading false claims about software bugs or hacking attempts.

Critics have argued that Xiaomi’s system should include additional safeguards to prevent vehicles from moving when no one is in the driver’s seat.

The incident has sparked discussion among industry analysts about the safety and reliability of remote-control features in modern smart vehicles. Experts note that while remote functions improve convenience, they also require strict fail-safe mechanisms and transparent data practices to maintain consumer trust.