The Li Auto L9 SUV Mistakenly Brakes for Billboard, Causing Real Accident

Recently, a Li Auto L9 SUV on a Chinese expressway faced a unique situation where its safety systems mistook a billboard advertisement for actual vehicles, leading to a rear-end collision. Despite being equipped with lidar, radar, ultrasonic sensors, and cameras, the SUV’s advanced technology failed to differentiate between the advertisement and real vehicles.

System Error Leads to Collision

The incident occurred when the Li Auto L9 detected a billboard advertising two vans spread across the road. The onboard tech triggered the automatic emergency braking (AEB) system, causing the SUV to abruptly stop from 77 km/h (48 mph). Unfortunately, this sudden stop resulted in the vehicle being rear-ended by another car.

Li Auto’s Response

Li Auto acknowledged the system’s error and offered the owner compensation. While the driver demanded 20,000 yuan ($2,756), Li Auto proposed 4,000 yuan (~$550) in cash. The company stated that improvements would be made to the software system to prevent such incidents in the future.

Lessons Learned

This incident highlights the challenges faced by semi-autonomous driver-assistance systems in accurately identifying potential hazards. While AEB systems are crucial for safety, they are not infallible and can misinterpret situations, as seen in this case.

As technology continues to advance, it is essential for automakers to refine their software and hardware to ensure the safety and reliability of their vehicles on the road.