Li Nan: Accusations of DCD’s Bias Without Evidence are Unsportsmanlike

CNBC AI News, July 26 – A recent assisted driving test conducted by Chinese automotive platform Dongchedi has ignited heated debate online after many popular models failed to navigate simulated high-risk scenarios, raising questions about the reliability of current driver-assistance technologies.

The test, involving over 20 brands and 36 vehicles, subjected the cars to 15 simulated accident scenarios encompassing both urban and highway driving conditions. The results were less than stellar. No vehicle successfully completed all scenarios.

Apart from the three urban road scenarios, where the cumulative pass rate exceeded 50%, the remaining twelve, particularly those simulating encountering broken-down vehicles, construction zones, or wildlife on the highway, saw pass rates plummet below 50%. These findings suggest that over-reliance on these systems could potentially lead to significant safety risks.

The test results have resonated with many online users, some of whom have voiced accusations of bias against Dongchedi, suggesting the platform deliberately targeted specific brands.

Li Nan, former executive at Meizu, weighed in on the controversy via Weibo, stating that while he could not definitively say whether Dongchedi intentionally targeted any particular brand, such accusations should not be made without concrete evidence.

“I know that making ‘accusations of ill intent’ and ‘malicious speculation’ to attack them without a clear chain of evidence is not the way a gentleman should behave,” Li Nan stated.

Defining “malicious speculation,” Li Nan explained, is when a behavior can be interpreted in both positive and negative ways given insufficient evidence, a person chooses the negative interpretation to attack others.

“For example, if a test is performed multiple times, and Dongchedi only releases one of those runs, the other attempts may have been discarded due to unsuitable testing conditions, poor footage, or some other reason. Without further evidence and without Dongchedi offering an explanation, to accuse them of deliberately trying to damage a particular brand’s reputation is unwarranted.”