Li Auto’s “VLA Driver Large Model” rollout began, but the VLA remote summon feature was excluded due to reports from competitors, as stated by CEO Li Xiang.
Yesterday, the full rollout of the “VLA Driver Large Model” for Li Auto’s AD Max models began. However, this version is an “incomplete one” from which “a widely acclaimed function has been temporarily excluded”—a description shared by Li Xiang, CEO of Li Auto, in a long Weibo post released last night, explaining the current status of the VLA Driver Large Model.
The function Li Xiang referred to as “temporarily unreleased” is the VLA remote summon feature. As early as two days before the rollout of the VLA Driver Large Model, numerous bloggers either explicitly stated or implied that this function had been reported, preventing its launch for the time being.
On September 8, Xiaohongshu user @Zhang Who Loves Coffee claimed, citing a “reliable source,” that “Li Auto has removed the summon function from the full rollout of VLA. The team is currently negotiating with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and will make a final effort on the 9th.”
Between September 8 and 9, blogger @Jiang Bing also posted three Weibo entries stating that Li Auto’s VLA remote summon function had been reported and canceled. They mentioned, “Previously, they reported Li Auto’s intelligent driving ‘little blue light’; now they’re reporting Li Auto’s VLA summon—truly unbelievable.”
Li Auto’s official side has not clarified the reason for the failure to launch the VLA remote summon function. However, on the evening of September 8, @Lao Tang Ge Tango (Tango), head of Li Auto’s product line, responded with a crying emoji to a comment on his official WeChat account that asked, “I heard that VLA summon was reported by the ‘far-ahead’ competitor and can’t be launched—Is this true?”
This response was widely interpreted as confirming the authenticity of the rumor.
Regarding the viral spread of this rumor, Li Auto did not provide a clear answer in its response yesterday. Instead, it stated, “Li Auto has always advanced the launch process of various new functions with a prudent and responsible attitude. Specific functions will be rolled out in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.”
Li Auto’s failure to issue a clear denial was once again seen as corroborating the rumor of the function being reported.
As a result, on social media platforms, criticism was directed at the act of reporting and the brand suspected of filing the report. Many argued that the outstanding performance of the VLA remote summon function on the Li Auto i8 had aroused the vigilance of competitors.
Nevertheless, quite a few bloggers expressed skepticism about this narrative.
For example, blogger @Navis-Slow Review hopes that Li Auto can explain the specific reason why the VLA remote summoning function cannot be pushed for the time being.
Their doubts mainly focused on the following: When the MIIT tightened policies on intelligent driving promotion and software OTA (Over-the-Air) access in April, there were circulating detailed rules stating that the MIIT “will no longer accept functions that cannot ensure the driver has full control, such as ‘valet parking,’ ‘one-click summon,’ and ‘remote control.'”
Furthermore, the Notice on Further Strengthening the Management of Intelligent Connected Vehicle Product Access, Recalls, and Software Over-the-Air (OTA) Updates, released as early as February, required enterprises to supplement and submit relevant technical parameters and verification materials to the MIIT and the State Administration for Market Regulation respectively before June 1.
Among the 40 parameters required for declaration, there was no explicit mention of content related to “one-click summon” or “remote control,” leading some to believe that these two functions were not within the scope of approval.
Based on the understanding of the above two documents, the general view is that the new regulations target the declaration of new functions, while existing functions remain unaffected.
Blogger @Yi Zhen Jian Che (A Needle for Cars) pointed out that currently, automakers must file for record before conducting OTA updates for assisted driving functions, and functions not within the permitted scope will not be approved.
This seems to explain why, before the launch of the Li Auto i8 (which comes with the VLA remote summon function as standard), Huawei Kunlun Intelligent Driving was the only brand on the market with remote summon capability.
Therefore, some opinions hold that it is a reasonable measure for the act of upgrading this function for the AD Max model, which was intended to be done, to be reported and stopped. Moreover, the result that it could be stopped just by being reported also proves that the VLA remote summoning function does have non-compliant aspects.
The two sides hold opposite views, and it is difficult to determine which is correct.
Today, when public opinion reached its peak, Li Xiang posted a Weibo entry in the afternoon stating that most of the online analyses about the reason for the “incomplete version” of the VLA Driver Large Model are “false information.”
This has cast another layer of doubt over the reason for the absence of Li Auto’s VLA remote summon function.
With the tightening of regulations at the beginning of the year, discussions about assisted driving in China’s new energy vehicle industry have gradually returned to calm. Faced with this reporting controversy, which viewpoint will people tend to agree with more?
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