The family of a Chinese entrepreneur, who was killed in acrashwhile driving a Nio Inc. ES8 vehicle with the autopilot function turned on, has accused the electric vehicle maker of helping to destroy evidence related to the crash, according to a report by Sina Tech (viacnEVpost).
What Happened:The family of the entrepreneur Lin Wenqin has provided two pieces of evidence supporting their allegations to the police, the report noted.
The police have accepted the evidence that includes a video as well as a recording of Nio staff admitting to having private access to the vehicle, according to the report.
A lawyer appointed by Lin's family to represent the case was quoted as saying that a Nio technician had private access to the vehicle to operate it without the approval of the traffic police.
However, Nio has denied having tampered with evidence or that its employees were summoned by the police, the report added.
Why It Matters: The death of Lin is the second fatal accident involving a Nio electric vehicle in China and has raised concerns about the safety of smart electric vehicles in the country.
Nio currently sells three SUV models in China, namely the ES6, ES8 and EC6. The company’s new ET7 premium electric sedan, released earlier this year, will begin deliveries in the first quarter of next year.
The autopilot function NOP (Navigation on Pilot) is one of the features of Nio's autonomous driving system, NIO Pilot. Nio said in June that the autonomous driving or AD system on the ET7 is deliberately “less aggressive” than rivals to prioritize safety.
Nio’s rival Tesla Inc. too has been drawingincreasing attentionover its vehicle safety in China.
Price Action: Nio shares closed 1.7% higher in Friday’s trading at $36.92.
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