Man Kneels For Car’s Facial Recognition, Company Removes App
Facial recognition technology is a feature that has been increasingly tapped into by companies for the added convenience it brings.
In China, however, an electric car user recently experienced the downfall of such technologies.
The XPeng Motors electric car user found himself on his knees just to pass the car’s facial recognition requirement.
Source: Feng Huang Wang Ke Ji on Sina Weibo
According to the Chinese car company, the facial recognition function belonged to a third-party application.
Man in China kneels to reach facial recognition camera on electric car
Recently, an XPeng Motors electric car user shared a rather humorous video on the Chinese social media platform, Weibo.
In the footage, he captured the drastic measures he had to take to unlock his in-car application via the facial recognition function.
Source: Peng Pai Xin Wen on Sina Weibo
The clip first showed the man walking into the frame with only his legs visible.
Subsequently, he knelt down so that his face could be detected by the camera.
Sina Weibo page Guo Ren Er Ke Ji (transliterated from Mandarin) reported that the camera was located below the car’s licence plate.
Source: Guo Ren Er Ke Ji on Sina Weibo
As such, he had no choice but to get into that awkward position.
Netizens flummoxed by the situation
In response to the incident, Chinese netizens expressed their bewilderment, with some pointing out that the user had to ‘worship’, or ‘kowtow’ his car.
One Weibo user saw the humour in the situation and used it as an opportunity to create a meme.
In the meme, a man is literally on all fours in front of a car and is being held up by an authority figure.
Source: Feng Huang Wang Ke Ji on Sina Weibo
In the foreground of the image, the caption “XPeng Motors’ car users undergoing face recognition” is plastered in red.
Many netizens seemed to have found this meme relatable as it later became highly associated, and widely circulated with the car owner’s complaint.
China company removes third-party application from electric cars
Following the viral Weibo post, XPeng Motors’ user development and service centre released a statement declaring their awareness of the video.
An internal investigation apparently revealed that users had to undergo facial recognition when logging in to a third-party application.
XPeng Motors has since apologised for its carelessness.
Source: Guo Ren Er Ke Ji on Sina Weibo
The company has also removed the application and is in the process of optimising its system in light of the “poor user experience”.
Man in China ‘Kow Tows’ to car for facial recognition
It did seem that due to the company’s carelessness, the facial recognition camera had been affixed in an awkward position.
As such, one unfortunate man had to go to rather extreme lengths just to access his vehicle.
All in all, we hope that all parties involved will reach a more convenient solution soon.
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Featured image adapted from Peng Pai Xin Wen on Sina Weibo.
