Xiaomi SU7 fatality and Changan Q07 brake failures in China
A Xiaomi SU7 vehicle fatally crashed into the sea in Fujian Province on 9 October 2025, with the cause under investigation. Separately, a Changan Qiyuan Q07 experienced multiple brake system failures on 30 September 2025, with the dealer later authorizing a vehicle return but unable to identify the root cause.
What happened
On 9 October 2025 at approximately 4 a.m., a Xiaomi SU7 vehicle went off a road and plunged into the sea near Pingtan County, Fuzhou, Fujian Province. The driver died in the incident.
On 30 September 2025, a woman driving a Changan Qiyuan Q07 on a highway in Quzhou encountered an emergency braking failure. The vehicle's display showed fault codes including 'emergency braking unavailable', 'electronic parking system abnormal', and 'braking assist system abnormal'. The driver depressed the brake pedal repeatedly with great force but received minimal response, and the vehicle took approximately 5 minutes to come to a complete stop while sliding across multiple lanes toward the emergency lane.
Reported impact
The Xiaomi SU7 driver was fatally injured in the sea incident. Online commenters viewing video of the incident questioned whether the vehicle had a quality problem, noting that brake lights were illuminated but the vehicle did not stop.
The Changan Q07 owner reported purchasing the vehicle in mid-August 2025 for approximately 180,000 yuan. After the braking failure, the vehicle was towed to a Changan Qiyuan service center. The service manager later stated that no specific cause could be found, though historical fault records existed. Following media exposure, the dealership confirmed the customer could return the vehicle, citing inability to control the vehicle under China's national and provincial three-warranty laws.
Index analysis
In the Xiaomi SU7 case, the specific cause of the vehicle losing control and entering the sea remains under investigation. Online observers have suggested possible vehicle malfunction based on brake light illumination in video evidence, though the article notes it is difficult to definitively determine whether the issue was vehicle-related or caused by driver error.
In the Changan Q07 case, the dealership suggested that a control module malfunction caused loss of braking assist, though it acknowledged the vehicle retained mechanical braking capability. No root cause was identified during inspection despite historical fault codes being present.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.