scramble to fix EV safety reputation, plans chip rollout

Xiaomi founder and CEO Lei Jun recently addressed all company employees, delivering a candid and forward-looking internal speech that addressed recent public criticism, future strategic goals, and the company’s long-term vision—particularly regarding automotive safety and chip development.

Lei began by acknowledging Xiaomi’s 15th anniversary, a significant milestone. However, he noted that the celebratory spirit was dampened by a sudden and serious traffic accident involving a Xiaomi SU7, which triggered a wave of public scrutiny. “We were shocked. The level of criticism and doubt we faced was overwhelming,” he admitted. Despite achieving top safety scores in various authoritative evaluations, Lei said the incident revealed how public expectations for Xiaomi exceeded the company’s expectations.

“We used to see ourselves as newcomers in the automotive industry,” Lei said. “But now I understand we can no longer think like a startup with Xiaomi’s current scale and influence. Society expects us to take on the responsibilities of a true industry leader.”

Addressing the company’s future direction, Lei made a bold commitment: “We aim to make Xiaomi cars the safest in their class—not just compliant, not just industry-leading, but exceeding industry standards.” He emphasized that this goal requires rigorous internal standards and collective responsibility from every team member.

Lei also reaffirmed his public pledge on April 1st: “Xiaomi will never shy away from problems.” Since the accident, Xiaomi has held numerous internal meetings to explore how to address issues and systematically improve corporate governance and product safety.

- Advertisement -

In a shift away from anniversary celebrations, Lei called for reflection on the company’s past five years, pointing out Xiaomi’s consistent investment in core technology. “We pledged over 100 billion yuan in R&D over five years—and we delivered,” he said, revealing that Xiaomi has already spent 105 billion yuan, with 30 billion yuan allocated for 2025 alone.

A significant announcement came toward the end of the speech: Xiaomi’s first self-developed smartphone SoC chip, the Xring O1, will be released later this month. Lei described the chip as the culmination of a decade of in-house development and a new starting point in Xiaomi’s pursuit of deep tech leadership. “Building chips isn’t just a strategic move—Xiaomi must become a true leader in hardcore technology,” he stated.

Reflecting on the company’s growth since 2019, a particularly challenging year for Xiaomi, Lei quoted a line he once shared with supply chain partners: “Adversity reveals strength, and time reveals endurance.” He expressed confidence that Xiaomi today is much stronger than five years ago, underscoring the company’s resilience and persistence.

“Back when we founded Xiaomi, I thought it would take 15 years for the world to understand us fully. Now I see that even 15 years may not be enough—but that’s okay. We’ll keep going until we’ve truly proven ourselves,” Lei concluded.

Source: Yiche