The ADAS suite algorithms in Mahindra XUV700 is trained for different scenarios and preventing a head-on crash from on-coming object is not one of them
A Mahindra XUV700 AX7 L owner from Karnataka, Irfaq Syed, raised concerns over the safety prospects of his vehicle on social media platform X. He also pointed out more-than-expected damages his XUV700 AX7 L dealt with when colliding with an oncoming motorcycle. Mr Syed raised concerns about integrity of ADAS tech, vehicle’s crashworthiness, viability of airbags and the parts unavailability scene with Mahindra’s popular vehicles.
Mahindra XUV700 accident caught on video
According to Mr Syed, airbags didn’t deploy and Auto Emergency Braking (AEB) didn’t auto emergency brake raising serious concerns about buying into a hyped vehicle that is advertised as a shiny beacon of safety. As Mr Syed explained in a detailed post on X, said crash occurred near Chokkanahalli, Bengaluru North.
Said XUV700 AX7 L mid-size SUV was hit by a recklessly speeding oncoming motorcycle that failed to plan an overtake. Resulting accident has wreaked havoc on the XUV700 at its front right. In the pictures, we can see the car’s front right wheel has come off and all the drivetrain components and suspension components are bust, creating an illusion that the car was hit by something much more substantial than a motorcycle.
Both occupants in said XUV700 (My Syed’s father and driver) didn’t sustain any injuries, unlike the motorcycle rider with minor injuries. In the video below, we can see Mahindra’s Continuous Digital Video Recording feature in which said car is travelling at 53 km/h and decelerates to 22 km/h to avoid a crash with a speeding on-coming motorcyclist.
Airbags and ADAS didn’t work
Colliding object doesn’t dictate the amount of damage that a car should show. Dealt damage is a combination of factors that is determined by shape of colliding object, angle of impact and speed at which the accident occurred. Even if Mahindra investigated it, they can’t recreate an identical situation as there are thousands of variations.
25 Nov, 2023 8:25 am – On a routine trip outside the city, my father and our driver, cruising at an average speed of 45, faced an unexpected turn of events. A 2-wheeler, recklessly speeding, collided with our @MahindraXUV700 AX7L, equipped with ADAS and Auto Emergency Braking… pic.twitter.com/GWtPQKMmzr
— Irfaq Syed (@iRazaSyed) December 16, 2023
Mahindra has a slew of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in XUV700 AX7 L. One among them is AEB. These features are designed to prevent ADAS-equipped vehicles from crashing into other vehicles and not prevent other cars from crashing into them. If you take Lane Departure Warning, AEB (slow and high speed) and Adaptive Cruise Control, they prevent ADAS-equipped vehicles from crashing into other vehicles.
This is a classic example of the need for ADAS suite in all road-going vehicles. More advanced ADAS suites in higher segments get Junction AEB, monitoring on-coming traffic for corner impacts at junctions and braking accordingly. Mahindra never advertised this feature in its ADAS suite and might employ this feature when the autonomy norm reaches a higher level than what is present in XUV700.
Junction AEB is not a part of Mahindra’s ADAS suite
Airbags deploy when an accident triggers crash sensors. These crash sensors are usually at the centre of front and rear sections along with the sides. Automakers should probably consider adding more crash sensors at all four corners as well. This is a common complaint from car owners in India irrespective of the manufacturer.
More of Mahindra’s customers are facing parts surplus issues. Mr Syed also mentioned irresponsible behaviour of dealer personnel including prolonged delays without any real progress and not responding to calls, messages and emails. Owner demands a proper response with satisfactory ETA of said parts, rather than being kept in the dark.
