Lynk & Co Z20 Voice Command Accidentally Turns Off Headlights, Sparking Debate Over Smart Car Limits

On the evening of February 25, a Lynk & Co Z20 owner was involved in a crash after issuing a voice command—"Turn off the reading light"—while driving at high speed. The vehicle’s system mistakenly interpreted the instruction as an order to disable all exterior lights, causing the car to collide with a guardrail. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The following day, Lynk & Co issued a public apology and urgently pushed an over-the-air software update that now restricts drivers to manually turning off headlights while the vehicle is in motion. This incident is not isolated: similar issues have been reported with other models, including the Zeekr 001, where the voice command "Turn off all lights" has also been found to inadvertently disable external lighting. In response, Zeekr has already refined its fuzzy-command recognition logic and is conducting a comprehensive review of safety-related functions across its entire lineup. The accidents have sparked broader industry reflection on "over-intelligent" vehicle designs. Experts are urging automakers to clearly differentiate between safety-critical and comfort-oriented features, advocating that essential controls—such as lighting and braking—retain physical buttons. China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has recently introduced new regulations explicitly requiring physical buttons for critical functions like turn signals and windshield wipers, and prohibiting gear shifting via touchscreen alone. Some observers argue that such safety-related defects warrant formal recalls rather than relying solely on remote software updates, emphasizing the need for manufacturers to demonstrate serious accountability for product safety.