Chinese cars are increasingly equipped with remote control features, but such technology can backfire on owners. After entering Kazakhstan, the electronics of the premium crossover Zeekr 9X automatically restricted some systems, reports infohub.kz.
A Chinese citizen surnamed Liu, who bought the Zeekr 9X about six months ago, set off on a trip along the route China–Kazakhstan–Europe. Immediately after crossing the Kazakh border, the car unexpectedly limited the operation of several electronic systems.
The crossover lost navigation, some electric drives, and the electronic lock for the fuel filler flap. However, steering, brakes, and other critical systems continued to function normally.
Zeekr explained that the cause was a built-in protection mechanism that automatically activates when crossing state borders. It is designed to combat theft, smuggling, and violations of international car export rules.
After inspection, company specialists remotely restored full functionality. As a result, the trip was delayed by more than a day. Liu said he had undergone scheduled maintenance at an official dealer and informed them of his intention to travel to Europe via Kazakhstan, but was not warned about a possible lockdown.
Zeekr also noted that the situation could recur when crossing other borders if protective algorithms are triggered again. This is one of the first publicly known cases of partial function restriction upon entering Kazakhstan. Owners of modern Chinese cars should check with the manufacturer in advance about how electronic systems behave during international travel.