Zeekr announced changes to its cross-border vehicle protection system after a high-profile incident involving a Zeekr 9X owner who experienced automatic locking of several vehicle functions during a trip to Kazakhstan.

Zeekr 9X
Zeekr 9X
Источник изображения: Creative commons

According to the owner, shortly after crossing the border, the security system restricted the operation of several electronic services. Navigation, the electronic glove compartment lock, and the fuel tank flap control were unavailable for more than 30 hours. The driver claims to have informed the official dealer in advance about the upcoming trip and received confirmation that the trip would not cause any problems.

Previously, Zeekr explained that such restrictions are intended to combat car theft, smuggling, and gray exports. The company later confirmed that the car had been unlocked.

Following public criticism, the manufacturer revised its approach to the system's operation. In an official statement on the social network Weibo, the company apologized and announced a shift to the principle of “user control, manufacturer protection.”

The first change was the introduction of the Cross-border Protection function in the proprietary mobile application, which allows the owner to independently generate an unlock code after the protection is triggered. It is not yet specified whether such a code can be obtained without internet access, which is especially important during international travel.

In addition, Zeekr is preparing an over-the-air (OTA) software update. After its installation, a toggle will appear in the application, allowing the cross-border locking function to be disabled in advance. The company stated that this system will be deactivated by default, and the decision to use it will remain with the car owner.

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