Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Xpeng has come under intense scrutiny after reports surfaced accusing the company of quietly removing key driver-assistance hardware from certain Xpeng G6 electric SUV models—without clearly informing buyers.
According to an investigation published by Economic Information, a platform operated by China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency, several G6 owners claim that millimetre-wave radars—previously promoted as part of the vehicle’s advanced safety suite—were missing from their cars.
The issue came to light when a Beijing-based customer, identified as Ms. Deng, discovered during a repair visit that her 2023 Xpeng G6 lacked two front-corner radars.
These sensors were originally advertised as part of Xpeng’s intelligent driving package, which the company had marketed as featuring 31 smart sensors and delivering enhanced environmental awareness often described as a “God’s-eye view.”
When Deng raised the issue with Xpeng in early 2025, she was reportedly told that the company had adopted a new pure vision-based driving solution, branded as “AI Eagle Eye,” which allowed for hardware streamlining without affecting functionality.
However, shortly after her complaint, Deng noticed that Xpeng had discreetly updated its in-app digital manual, reducing the listed number of millimetre-wave radars from five to three—fueling concerns about transparency.
What initially appeared to be an isolated case has since grown into a broader dispute.
At least 159 Xpeng owners have reportedly signed a joint rights-protection letter, stating that they only became aware of the missing sensors during routine servicing or accident repairs.
Responding to media queries, Xpeng confirmed that it had removed the front-corner radars following its shift to a vision-only assisted driving system.
The automaker denied misleading customers, maintaining that configuration updates were communicated across official platforms.
Owners, however, dispute this claim. Many argue that the sensor reduction has negatively affected real-world driving performance, especially in low-visibility scenarios such as night driving, tunnels, heavy rain, snow, and strong backlighting.
Complaints include phantom braking, inconsistent distance detection, and difficulties navigating construction zones or overtaking large vehicles.
Automotive analysts cited in the report note that while vision-only systems remain a topic of debate, most manufacturers continue to rely on multi-sensor redundancy to enhance safety.
Legal experts suggest the situation could potentially fall under China’s Consumer Rights Protection Law, particularly if critical configuration changes influenced purchasing decisions without adequate disclosure.
This is not the first time Xpeng has faced such allegations. A previous investigation led to the recall of nearly 48,000 P7+ vehicles after reports of undisclosed component replacements—raising further questions about corporate disclosure practices.