Huawei-backed AITO addresses concerns following fatal car crash in Shanxi

Chinese electric car brand AITO released a detailed statement on Monday addressing the technical questions surrounding a fatal car accident that sparked public discussion about the cause and the safety features of the vehicle.

Three individuals, including a 2-year-old boy, died after their AITO M7 vehicle was involved in an accident and caught fire in Yuncheng, north China's Shanxi Province, on April 26.

AITO, a co-brand between Chinese vehicle manufacturer Seres Group and Huawei, said when the accident happened, the Automatic Emergency Braking system was not activated due to the vehicle's high speed (115 km/h) exceeding its operational range (4-85km/h).

The company also said the fire was not caused by battery combustion, but rather by severe damage to the wiring in the front compartment after the high-speed collision.

The airbags were deployed properly at the time of the collision and the doors could not automatically open because the power and signal lines were severed in the impact. Rescuers manually opened the doors after the collision.