The morning sun glints off rows of Deepal S07 SUVs at the Port of Melbourne as I watch customs officials process the latest shipment. These mid-sized SUVs have been gaining traction in Australia’s competitive market, but today’s shipment carries additional significance – they’re among the first to arrive with a crucial fix for a safety system that’s caused considerable frustration for early adopters.
Also Read:- Upcoming GWM Car Launches in 2025 – Full List and Features
“We’ve been waiting for these updated models since the issue became apparent,” explains James Wilson, a Melbourne-based Deepal dealer who’s agreed to walk me through the changes. “The driver attention monitoring system has been a real pain point for our customers, and we’re relieved to finally have a proper solution.”
The problem in question has plagued the Deepal S07 since its Australian launch earlier this year – an overzealous driver attention monitoring system that generates false alerts and warnings even when drivers are fully attentive. What was designed as a safety feature became a source of aggravation, with some owners reporting dozens of unnecessary warnings during routine commutes.
After months of customer complaints and increasing pressure from safety advocates, Deepal has finally implemented a comprehensive fix. But what exactly went wrong, how has it been addressed, and what does it mean for current and prospective S07 owners in Australia? I spent a week investigating these questions, speaking with affected owners, dealer representatives, and industry experts to understand the full story.
The S07’s Troubled Safety System: Understanding the Issue
The driver attention monitoring system in the Deepal S07 utilizes a dash-mounted camera that tracks the driver’s eye movements, head position, and facial expressions to detect signs of fatigue or distraction. When the system determines the driver isn’t paying adequate attention to the road, it triggers escalating warnings – first a visual alert on the instrument cluster, then audible chimes, and finally more insistent beeping if the situation isn’t remedied.
In theory, this technology should enhance safety by identifying risky driving behavior before an incident occurs. In practice, the S07’s implementation has been problematic from day one.
“The first alert came about five minutes into my drive home from the dealership,” recalls Sarah Jenkins, a Sydney-based S07 owner who purchased her vehicle in March. “I was completely focused on the road, hadn’t touched my phone, wasn’t even talking to anyone. The warning light just appeared for no reason. By the time I got home – a 30-minute drive – it had happened six more times.”
Jenkins’ experience wasn’t an isolated incident. Forums and social media groups for S07 owners quickly filled with similar complaints. The issues seemed to fall into several categories:
- False positives triggered by normal driving behaviors like checking mirrors
- Excessive sensitivity to slight head movements or brief glances at the instrument cluster
- System confusion caused by certain eyewear, particularly polarized sunglasses
- Inconsistent performance in different lighting conditions
- Repeated warnings even when drivers were demonstrably attentive
“We started hearing about the problem within days of the first deliveries,” notes Wilson. “Initially we thought it might be a calibration issue affecting a small percentage of vehicles, but it quickly became apparent this was a widespread software flaw.”
The Safety Paradox
The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on safety experts. A system designed to make driving safer was actually creating new hazards by distracting drivers with unnecessary warnings.
“Driver attention systems can be valuable safety tools when properly implemented,” explains Dr. Amanda Chen, a transportation safety researcher at the University of Melbourne. “But false positives create what we call a ‘cry wolf’ effect. Drivers become annoyed by the constant alerts and eventually start ignoring them entirely, undermining the very purpose of the system.”
More concerning were reports that some owners had discovered ways to disable or circumvent the system – from placing stickers on the camera to disconnecting sensors – creating potential safety risks.
“We had customers coming in asking how to turn it off completely,” admits Wilson. “We couldn’t officially recommend any modifications, but we understood their frustration. When a safety feature becomes so intrusive that people are looking for ways to defeat it, you know there’s a fundamental problem with the implementation.”
The Long Road to a Solution
Deepal’s initial response to customer complaints was underwhelming. Early software updates made minimal difference, and customer service representatives often suggested that drivers simply needed to “adapt their driving style” to accommodate the system’s sensitivities.
This approach did little to satisfy customers who had purchased vehicles at premium prices and expected properly functioning safety systems. As complaints mounted and dealer feedback grew increasingly negative, Deepal engineers in China began a more comprehensive analysis of the system’s flaws.
“The issue wasn’t just with the hardware or just with the software,” explains Michael Thomson, technical director for Deepal Australia. “It was a combination of factors – the camera’s position and calibration, the algorithm’s sensitivity thresholds, and how the system interpreted certain eye and head movements in Australian driving conditions.”
This last factor proved particularly important. The system had been primarily developed and tested on Chinese roads and with Chinese drivers. Subtle differences in driving posture, road design, and even average heights between Australian and Chinese populations meant the system’s baseline assumptions weren’t transferring well to the Australian market.
By mid-year, Deepal engineers had identified the core issues and begun developing a comprehensive fix that would address both hardware and software aspects of the problem. The solution would require a two-pronged approach:
- A significant software update recalibrating the system’s sensitivity and improving its ability to distinguish between actual inattention and normal driving behaviors
- A hardware adjustment involving repositioning the driver-facing camera to better accommodate the average seating position of Australian drivers
The Technical Overhaul
The software update represents the most substantial component of the fix. According to technical documentation provided by Deepal, the new software features:
- Completely rewritten detection algorithms with significantly reduced sensitivity to minor head movements
- Improved eye tracking that better accommodates different eyewear, including polarized sunglasses
- Extended warning thresholds that provide more time before audible alerts are triggered
- Enhanced learning capabilities that adapt to individual driving behaviors over time
- Better performance across varied lighting conditions
- Optional sensitivity settings allowing drivers some control over the system’s parameters
The hardware adjustment, while less complex, addresses a crucial design flaw. The driver-monitoring camera has been repositioned slightly higher and angled differently to better capture the typical gaze direction of Australian drivers, who tend to sit slightly farther from the steering wheel than the average Chinese driver.
“It’s a subtle change in positioning, only about 8 millimeters higher and 5 degrees of angle adjustment,” notes Thomson. “But those small changes significantly improve the camera’s field of view and reduce false positives caused by normal head movements.”
Rollout Plan: How Deepal is Addressing the Australian Fleet
Deepal’s fix is being implemented through a multi-phase approach that prioritizes both new vehicles and existing customers:
All new production S07s destined for Australia now incorporate both the hardware and software fixes. These vehicles can be identified by a small “Series II” badge on the tailgate.
For existing owners, Deepal has announced a comprehensive recall program allowing customers to bring their vehicles to authorized dealers for the necessary updates. The recall process includes:
- Software update installation (approximately 45 minutes)
- Hardware modification to reposition the camera (approximately 90 minutes)
- Complete system calibration and testing
- Verification drive with a technician to ensure proper operation
Deepal Australia is directly contacting all registered S07 owners to schedule these updates, with the company covering all costs. The recall is expected to take approximately three months to complete, with priority given to customers who have reported significant issues with their systems.
Owner Experiences with the Fix
To gauge the effectiveness of Deepal’s solution, I spoke with several S07 owners who have already received the update through an early pilot program.
“It’s like having a completely different car,” says Jenkins, who participated in the pilot. “I’ve driven about 500 kilometers since the update, and I’ve had maybe two warnings – both when I actually was distracted for a moment. Before, I would have had dozens of false alarms over the same distance.”
Robert Patel, another early recipient of the fix, describes a similar experience: “The difference is night and day. Before, I was getting warnings even when looking directly at the road. Now it only alerts me when I’m genuinely not paying attention or showing signs of fatigue. It’s finally working the way it should have from the beginning.”
These positive experiences were echoed by other pilot participants, suggesting that Deepal has successfully addressed the core issues with the system. However, some owners expressed frustration about how long the process took.
“I’m happy with the fix, but it shouldn’t have taken six months of complaints to get here,” notes Patel. “This should have been caught during testing before these vehicles ever reached customers.”
Market Impact and Brand Reputation
The driver attention system issues have undeniably impacted Deepal’s Australian launch and brand perception. Sales figures for the first half of the year show the S07 underperforming projections by approximately 30 percent, according to industry data from VFACTS.
“The timing was unfortunate,” acknowledges David Reynolds, marketing director for Deepal Australia. “We were trying to establish ourselves as a premium Chinese alternative in a very competitive market. Having a high-profile issue with a safety system wasn’t the first impression we wanted to make.”
Automotive industry analyst Sarah Mitchell believes the company’s handling of the situation will determine long-term impact. “New brands, particularly from China, face intense scrutiny in the Australian market. How Deepal responds to this challenge will shape consumer perception more than the initial problem itself.”
From a dealer perspective, Wilson suggests the fix has already begun shifting the narrative. “Customer satisfaction with the updated vehicles has been extremely positive. We’re seeing renewed interest from buyers who had been holding off due to concerns about the system.”
Competitive Context
The S07’s driver attention monitoring issues highlight the broader challenges facing emerging automotive technologies. Similar systems from other manufacturers have experienced their own growing pains, though few have required such comprehensive fixes.
“These driver monitoring technologies are still relatively new in mass-market vehicles,” explains Chen. “We’re seeing a learning curve across the industry as companies fine-tune their implementations. The difference is that established brands typically identify and address these issues before widespread customer exposure.”
For competitors in the mid-size SUV segment, the S07’s struggles have provided an opportunity to emphasize their own refined safety systems. Several rival manufacturers have subtly highlighted their driver attention monitoring technology in recent marketing campaigns, implicitly contrasting their mature systems with Deepal’s problematic implementation.
Lessons Learned
As Deepal works to implement the fix across its Australian fleet, the company appears to be taking broader lessons from the experience. Sources within the organization indicate that testing protocols for the Australian market have been completely overhauled, with significantly more local validation before features are approved for production.
“We’ve learned that we need much more extensive testing with Australian drivers in Australian conditions,” admits Thomson. “What works perfectly in China or even in European markets doesn’t necessarily translate directly to Australia. We’re now doing extensive local validation for all new models and features.”
This localized approach will be particularly important as Deepal prepares to launch additional models in Australia, including a smaller SUV and an electric sedan planned for next year. The company has already announced that these upcoming vehicles will undergo extensive Australian road testing before being approved for sale.
For current and prospective S07 owners, the fix represents a new beginning for a vehicle that otherwise offers compelling value in its segment. With competitive pricing, generous equipment levels, and now a properly functioning safety system, the updated S07 can more effectively compete against established rivals.
“We’re confident that the S07 can now deliver on its original promise,” says Reynolds. “We appreciate our early customers’ patience and feedback, which has helped us create a better product for all Australian drivers.”
As I watch the newly arrived S07s being prepared for delivery to dealerships, it’s clear that Deepal has turned a corner with this fix. Whether it’s enough to overcome the initial stumble in the Australian market remains to be seen, but for owners like Jenkins, the most important thing is that their vehicles finally work as advertised.
“I just wanted the safety system to do its job without driving me crazy,” she says with a laugh. “It took longer than it should have, but I’m relieved they got it right in the end.”
Also Read:- Lexus RX450h+ Plug-in Hybrid Lands in Australia – Price Out