"The Car Drives Better Than I Do"... Chinese Woman Fined for Applying Makeup with Hands Off the Wheel While Driving

Chinese Woman Relied on Driver Assistance Features
Applied Makeup and Danced While Driving
"I Trusted the Smart Driving Feature"

A woman in China was fined by the police after filming herself applying makeup and dancing while driving, then posting the footage online.

Chinese Woman Caught Applying Makeup with Hands Off the Wheel

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According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on May 11 (local time), the driver, Ms. Lin from Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, had posted several videos on social media showcasing her car’s driver assistance features.

In the videos, Ms. Lin is seen driving through a tunnel with the driver assistance system activated. With both hands off the steering wheel, she applies makeup, sways to music, and even eats snacks. The vehicle she was driving was a sports utility vehicle (SUV) from the Chinese electric vehicle brand “AITO,” reportedly priced at around 500,000 yuan (about 10.8 million won).

As the videos spread online and controversy grew, local traffic police launched an investigation. During questioning, Ms. Lin stated, “Although I was doing other things with my hands, I was still paying attention to driving.” In response, the police warned that situations requiring sudden lane changes, such as construction zones, could arise at any time. They also explained that driver assistance systems are designed for relatively simple road conditions and may not respond adequately to complex or emergency situations.

However, Ms. Lin said, “I never considered such scenarios because I trusted the smart driving feature,” adding, “To be honest, as a driver, I think the car drives better than I do.”

The police reiterated that driver assistance functions are not fully autonomous and cannot detect all obstacles on the road. Ultimately, Ms. Lin received a fine of 200 yuan (about 43,000 won) and demerit points for obstructing safe driving.

Controversy over 'Autonomous Driving Features' on Social Media

This incident also sparked major controversy on Chinese social media, with related topics reportedly exceeding 10 million views. One user commented, “Irresponsible drivers like this are truly frightening. If there’s no accident, it’s just luck; but if there is, not only are they at risk, but they put others in danger as well.” Another user said, “I rarely use smart driving features. I still believe humans are more flexible and reliable than machines.”

Meanwhile, cases of driver assistance features being misused continue to occur in China. In February 2023, a drunk driver in central China claimed that he had not operated the vehicle himself because the driver assistance function was on, but was ultimately sentenced to five months’ detention and fined 10,000 yuan (about 1.5 million won).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.