It's been a month and a half since I got my Xiaomi SU7. During this time, I've been constantly photographed by various people, which can be overwhelming for those with social anxiety. You might experience cars around you taking pictures while waiting at red lights, people gathering around when parked, or even on the highway. Here, I'd like to share some insights on the functionalities of the Xiaomi SU7.
Table of Contents
Seat Adjustment
Besides the standard adjustments for moving the seat forward and backward, height, and angle, the Xiaomi SU7 also allows for lumbar support adjustment. Many people might not know about this feature, and some bloggers have mentioned that the seats are uncomfortable with an empty lumbar area. This is not due to a lack of features from Xiaomi, but rather a lack of proper usage.
The rear seats are equipped with ISOFIX mounts for child seats, and later you can install Xiaomi's smart child seat from their ecosystem.
Exterior Mirrors
Xiaomi’s exterior mirrors can be adjusted via voice control, steering wheel buttons, or the central control screen. Remember to save the adjustments in your logged-in account each time.
The mirrors are heated, which can be activated during rain or snow via voice control or the air conditioning control interface. They also support automatic downward tilt when reversing. You can choose to disable this feature, select only the driver’s or passenger’s side, or both simultaneously. For experienced drivers, this function might feel a bit awkward to use.
Driving Recorder
The driving recorder features four different cameras recording from various positions. It can be turned off through the safety and service settings. The Xiaomi SU7’s driving recorder doesn’t record continuously but supports a maximum of three hours of driving time, regardless of the USB drive size. Recordings can also be saved manually or by honking. In case of an emergency, it automatically saves the 60 seconds before and 30 seconds after the incident.
Currently, there’s an issue where some driving videos inexplicably fail to record.
Sentinel Mode
Unlike the driving recorder, Sentinel Mode uses six cameras to record simultaneously. After the 1.1.2 update, there’s no need to worry about medium-risk videos filling up storage, as they can be overwritten. However, this mode is power-intensive, consuming about 1km of range per hour. It automatically records and sends notifications via the Xiaomi Car app when someone approaches or poses a threat to the vehicle.
The current problem is that it records even when no one is around. All six cameras record simultaneously, rather than only those detecting movement, leading to high power consumption. Further optimization is suggested to reduce energy usage.
Charging Ports
The smart car considers multiple charging port locations and forms, including cigarette lighter, USB-C, and USB-A ports, as well as wireless charging. However, while the left side includes a 1/4 thread port, it lacks a charging port, which is a design oversight. I’ve been using Xiaomi’s 50W car charger, which charges very quickly. An upgrade to the car or new accessories to address this would be ideal.
Emergency Design
The doors have emergency handles, and the trunk also has an emergency unlock feature. By folding down the rear seats from inside the car, you can find the emergency opening, pull down the cover, and unlock the trunk in an emergency.
From launch to market release, Xiaomi cars have only been around for two months, attracting a lot of attention and scrutiny. Good design concepts can drive the industry forward quickly, while shortcomings can be optimized. Recently, Lei Jun mentioned at the Beijing Auto Show and during a visit to NIO about the unified protocol for ecological products. If achieved, more and better ecological products might emerge. Some bloggers have already brought Xiaomi's mosquito repellent into the car. Perhaps an upgraded version combining fragrance and mosquito repellent could be developed, making it multifunctional. Our wet wipes and tissues lack proper storage space, which could be addressed with storage box accessories for the central control rear area, enhancing aesthetics.
Overall, the Xiaomi SU7 is thoughtfully designed with practical features. It’s been a joy to drive so far. However, its integration with the car-home ecosystem is still weak, with limited linked scenarios, and it’s unclear how Sentinel Mode is triggered. It also cannot act as an execution device for scenarios, but I look forward to future updates.
