Recently, a traffic accident involving a test drive of AITO M5 crashing into a bus occurred in Xiangyang, Hubei, once again pushing this medium-sized SUV jointly created by Thalys and Huawei to the forefront of public opinion. This accident not only exposed hidden safety hazards during the test drive, but also sparked widespread doubts about the safety performance of AITO M5 among the public.

According to the video poster, Mr. Zhou, he recalled that on August 28 at noon, he and his friends were test-driving an AITO M5 at the AITO authorized user center located at No. A9, Zuan Shi Avenue, Xiangzhou District, Xiangyang City. During the demonstration of the intelligent driving function by the salesperson, the latter took their hands off the steering wheel and did not maintain sufficient vigilance regarding the road conditions ahead. When a bus turned left and made a U-turn, the salesperson failed to take emergency braking measures in time, resulting in a collision between the vehicle and the bus, and Mr. Zhou and his friends were injured in the accident.

Even more shocking is the weak explanation provided by the AITO center after the accident. They claimed that the backend data showed that the vehicle speed had dropped to 34km/h, but Mr. Zhou strongly disputed this, arguing that such a speed could not have caused such a severe collision. Furthermore, Mr. Zhou revealed that his father, while examining the backend data, discovered that the vehicle only initiated braking when it was seven meters away from the bus, further exacerbating public concerns about the reliability of the AITO M5's intelligent driving system.

This accident is not the first time that AITO M5 has faced safety questions. Previously, another AITO M5 test drive accident occurred in Yichang, Hubei, resulting in injuries to the test driver and passengers. In that accident, the test driver also failed to take control of the vehicle in time while demonstrating the autonomous driving assistance function, causing the vehicle to collide with a large truck in front.

Just last month, an AITO M5 caught fire in Nankang District, Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province. Although the official statement claimed that the battery pack did not catch fire or burn, and no one was injured, the fact that the vehicle suddenly caught fire while charging has still raised doubts among many consumers about the safety of AITO M5.

As a benchmark case for Huawei's HarmonyOS Smart Travel, AITO M5's market performance has always attracted much attention. However, frequent safety accidents have undoubtedly cast a shadow over its brand image. According to data, AITO brand sales accounted for more than 90% of the overall sales of HarmonyOS Smart Travel in the first half of the year, but the growth in sales cannot conceal its deficiencies in safety performance.

For consumers, safety is always the primary factor to consider when purchasing a car. The safety issues surrounding AITO M5 during test drives and daily use will undoubtedly deter potential buyers. Therefore, Thalys and Huawei need to address these issues head-on, strengthen product quality control, and enhance the safety and reliability of the intelligent driving system to regain consumer trust.

At the same time, regulatory authorities should also strengthen supervision of the new energy vehicle market to ensure that every model on the market meets strict safety standards. Only in this way can we protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers and promote the healthy development of the new energy vehicle industry.