- Tesla showcases reliable seat anti-pinch reaction, implying stronger safety than rivals' systems.
- Stelato S9 viral clip sparked scrutiny after a child was trapped and voice-stop failed to halt folding.
- Industry faces pressure to prioritize fail-safe seat sensors over comfort-driven smart features.
Tesla on Monday released a short video demonstrating its seat anti-pinch function, showing the seat automatically springing back the moment it touches an obstacle, with a caption reading “a sense of safety hidden in the details.”
After the video was released, many netizens interpreted it as a “veiled dig at rivals,” quietly sparking a public debate over anti-pinch features.
The latest controversy began in early May.
A netizen shared a video showing a parent with a child experiencing a Stelato S9 in a showroom, using the voice assistant “Xiaoyi” to activate the second-row zero-gravity seat mode.
After the command was given, the front passenger seat began folding forward and pressing down, gradually approaching the child seated in the passenger seat. The child clearly felt squeezed and uncomfortable. Most importantly, the parent repeatedly gave the voice command “stop,” but the seat did not pause, eventually forcing the parent to manually move the child away.
The entire process was recorded and spread online, and public opinion quickly escalated.
In response to the online discussion, HIMA issued a timely statement.
On May 5, the official account of HIMA spokesperson released a “Statement on the viral video related to the Stelato S9 zero-gravity seat.”
The official response from a technical perspective confirmed that the scenario in the viral video had indeed not reached the trigger threshold of the anti-pinch function.
As the incident unfolded, netizens’ reactions were clearly divided.
Some netizens suspected the incident was “staged.” Analysts noted that the father in the video held up his phone to record the entire process without taking any action to rescue the child, leading many to question whether it was a deliberately scripted scene.
More owners chose to respond to the controversy with “real tests.” Within just a few days, multiple Stelato and Aito owners conducted their own tests. The results showed that when the occupancy sensor in the passenger seat detected weight, the system would give a voice prompt saying “Passenger detected, folding not supported” and directly refuse to execute the command.
Just as the Stelato S9 controversy was still not fully settled, Tesla made a high-profile demonstration of its seat anti-pinch function, a move that can be described as tactfully timed.
Although the company did not name any rival, many netizens still believe that Tesla’s move was intended to distance itself from peers in brand image through a comparison of safety features.
Beyond the brand-centric discussions among netizens, the incident has also pushed the safety of zero-gravity seats to the center of public debate. The core question is: when comfort, smart features, and basic safety come into conflict, how should the industry choose?
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