Following the international expansion of smart electric vehicles, a new intersection has emerged between vehicle sales territories, software services, and owner usage rights.
According to multiple media reports on July 16th, a Henan-based owner named Mr. Liu encountered a "Unlock Request" interface on his vehicle's infotainment screen after driving into Kazakhstan, which persisted for over 30 hours. The owner stated that during this period, functions such as navigation, entertainment, and certain vehicle body controls were affected, including the ability to open the storage compartment and fuel cap. While the vehicle retained basic driving capability, the owner argued that the restricted infotainment functions significantly impacted normal vehicle usage.
On July 24th, ZEEKR responded to financial news outlet Wall Street News, explaining that the vehicle's location signal in an overseas region triggered a built-in safety protection mechanism in the infotainment system. The system initially provides a pop-up warning. If the overseas location persists, the infotainment screen upgrades to a full-screen strong prompt. ZEEKR emphasized that this mechanism does not affect core driving systems such as power or braking, and physical unlock methods remain available for the charging port cover and fuel cap. Therefore, the company stated there was no complete vehicle lockdown. After the involved vehicle completed verification, the infotainment system's strong prompt was removed.
This clarifies the differing interpretations of a "vehicle lockdown." ZEEKR stresses the vehicle could still be driven, while the owner contends that the central screen, which controls navigation, entertainment, and some body functions, being persistently blocked by a strong prompt constitutes a hindrance to daily use.
On July 26th, ZEEKR further released a statement titled "Explanation and Subsequent Optimization of Overseas Driving Infotainment Prompts." ZEEKR stated that the infotainment issue for the involved user had been resolved, and a dedicated support channel was established for their remaining overseas itinerary.
Early that same morning, the "Cross-Border Guardian" feature was introduced on the ZEEKR app. Owners can use this feature to obtain an infotainment system verification code for self-service prompt removal when driving abroad. For users already abroad or planning to travel, ZEEKR also provides a 24-hour customer service priority access channel.
In its statement, ZEEKR acknowledged that even if the safety mechanism's intention is vehicle protection, complex operational steps and opaque rules can cause user inconvenience. Consequently, ZEEKR is developing a "Cross-Border Guardian Function Switch" to be rolled out via an over-the-air (OTA) update. Once activated, this switch will be off by default. Owners can choose to turn it on or off via their mobile phone before traveling abroad. If an owner proactively enables it, the vehicle will still display infotainment prompts and some functional restrictions when abroad, but these can be unlocked via the app.
This adjustment is implemented in two phases: the first phase, already live, is post-event self-service unlocking. The second phase, still under development, is the pre-trip selection switch. The former reduces owner waiting time for manual verification, while the latter changes the default state of the safety mechanism.
In the context of accelerating global expansion by new energy vehicle manufacturers, this development reflects a new set of rules needed for smart vehicles entering cross-border usage scenarios. Geely Automobile's annual report shows ZEEKR delivered 224,100 vehicles in 2025, a year-on-year increase of approximately 1%. As of the end of 2025, ZEEKR operated 537 stores in mainland China and 152 stores across nearly 50 countries and regions overseas.
Previously, automakers primarily faced the task of delivering vehicles and providing after-sales service in target markets. Now, vehicles can also enter non-sales regions through cross-border self-driving, second-hand sales, or parallel imports. A clearer distinction is needed between formal sales, short-term overseas use, and grey market circulation.
Price differences provide a practical incentive for cross-border vehicle flow. A Kazakhstani dealer's page shows the ZEEKR 7X starting at 21.69 million Kazakhstani Tenge, roughly converting to approximately 314,000 RMB based on the July 23rd exchange rate. In China, the official guide price for the 2026 ZEEKR 7X starts at 229,800 RMB. This price gap objectively increases the incentive for cross-border vehicle circulation.
In 2024, Russian media reported that some ZEEKR vehicles entering Russia through parallel imports might display warning prompts. After extended use in non-contracted regions, the functionality of the infotainment screen could be affected.
Public agreements from other new energy vehicle manufacturers also define overseas usage boundaries for vehicles. Li Auto's purchase agreement for mainland China states that the vehicle is primarily for customers who purchase and use it in mainland China. If the owner uses, disposes of, or exports the vehicle abroad, Li Auto reserves the right to restrict functions such as assisted driving, infotainment systems, voice control, internet connection, and wireless hotspots. It may also refuse to provide certification, registration, after-sales service, and parts support.
ZEEKR's European sales agreement takes a different approach. If a vehicle is registered or used outside an "active market," the owner bears the risks of transport, registration, and taxes. The vehicle's software settings, infotainment language, and safety requirements may not meet local regulations. After-sales maintenance depends on the authorized service network.
NIO's European rules emphasize that some digital services depend on the country or region selected by the user. XPeng's overseas FAQ states that vehicle functions in different countries will be adjusted according to local market demands and regulations. In publicly available rules, these automakers primarily define boundaries in terms of sales regions, software adaptation, digital services, and after-sales networks. They rarely directly use the overseas positioning of a regular vehicle as the trigger for a strong infotainment prompt.
What ZEEKR needed to supplement this time is precisely this layer of cross-border vehicle usage rules. Both regular owners driving abroad and vehicles in the grey market may generate the same overseas location signal at the system level. Automakers need to prevent theft and illegal circulation, but they also need to ensure regular owners know the rules before departure and have a sufficiently fast resolution path once a protection mechanism is triggered.
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