Smart Car Made By China’s Tesla Shuts Down On Chang’an Ave

Passengers had pressed to upgrade the vehicle's operating system while on the busy Beijing boulevard

China’s answer to Tesla has become the laughing stock of the Chinese internet after one of the company’s cars shut down and locked itself during a test drive on Beijing’s famous Chang’an Avenue.

The electric vehicle made by Shanghai-based car-maker NIO was stranded for one hour on the busy road which runs through the center of the Chinese capital, causing traffic jams. Meanwhile, passengers inside of the car were unable to unlock the doors and get out.

According to screenshots posted onto Weibo, the shut down occurred when those inside the car attempted to upgrade the vehicle’s operating system.

NIO has since blamed the shut down on the driver making “continuous mistakes” when it comes to the upgrade system, which alerts users that the process will take an hour to complete, be made in park mode, and involve all electronic equipment becoming disabled.

However, netizens have pointed out that the incident calls to attention some apparent flaws in NIO’s upgrade system if it can be triggered unwittingly by a careless or distracted driver. After all, no matter how smart a car may be, it can still be wrecked by a dumb enough driver.