Stricter controls imposed on marketing of smart driving cars(4)

Realistic expectations

Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association, called for a combined approach to ensure safety as smart driving features become available to more car buyers.

"It is critical to address the gap between consumer perception, and the actual capabilities of the driving-assist systems," said Cui.

He also suggested that vehicles that claim features such as "hands-free" and "eyes-free" driving should be strictly monitored.

Normally, such vehicles will give a warning if the drivers' hands are off the steering wheel for a certain amount of time.

But drivers can easily circumvent this safety measure by buying a gadget to put on the steering wheel. Others just wedge a bottle of water into the steering wheel.

Cui called for tighter regulation of these cheat gadgets, which are easy to find on platforms like Taobao.

He also advised the media to adopt a more cautious tone in their stories about the technology.

Content creators tend to upload eye-catching or sensational videos and images to attract viewers, which brings income from the platform and advertising opportunities.

Lu, the Voyah CEO, said he gets mad when he sees misleading video clips. "It is infuriating to see a whole family sleeping in a car driving on the highway. You want to report it (to the platform)," he said.

Serious traditional media outlets are often caught in the dilemma of whether to adopt a similar sensationalist style. Some analysts believe that social media platforms such as Douyin should ban such videos as they are dangerous.

Meanwhile, traffic management authorities are starting to issue alerts and warnings for smart driving vehicles.

During the recent Qingming holiday, targeted warning signs appeared on roadsides and highways across Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces as holiday traffic surged.

They read: "Construction barrier ahead, turn off intelligent driver assistance," "Intelligent driving is only an aid, focus is still required for highway driving," and "Driver assistance may involve risks, exercise caution on highways."

Wang, the middle school teacher in Tianjin, acknowledges the role of carmakers and the media, but believes car owners should be responsible for themselves.

"You cannot easily trust those who sell you things to get your money, can you? You are an adult, you cannot rely on others to take care of you. Don't be pampered and do your homework," he said.