Chinese automaker Zeekr will modify its vehicle protection system after a Zeekr 9X owner experienced an automatic lockout while driving through Kazakhstan. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
According to CarNewsChina, the crossover's electronics suspected unauthorized export of the vehicle and disabled several functions for over 30 hours. The premium crossover, worth approximately 36 million tenge, lost navigation, the electronic fuel cap lock, glovebox access, and other services.
The owner claimed he had informed the dealer about the trip in advance and received permission, but no one warned him about a possible lockout. After a wave of criticism on Chinese social media, Zeekr apologized to the owner and said it would revise the system's operation. A password generator will now appear in the official app, allowing owners to unlock their vehicles independently after crossing borders.
The company is also preparing an OTA update that will let users completely disable the automatic cross-border lock function. According to the manufacturer, this option will be turned off by default after the update. Zeekr stated its intention to move to a "user control, manufacturer protection" principle. The company explained that the mechanism was created to combat theft, smuggling, and "gray" scheme deliveries to other countries.
Such restrictions are especially relevant for Central Asian markets, where many Chinese cars are imported through unofficial channels. Earlier, Kursiv Avto reported that a Zeekr 9X from China was remotely locked in Kazakhstan for the first time.