SINCE LAUNCHING IN AUSTRALIA, Deepal has made a fast and dynamic entry into the market, bringing cutting-edge electric vehicle technology to local drivers. As they continue this journey, they are listening closely to customer feedback (something we regularly hear is a rarity among car companies) and learning how Australians are engaging with their vehicles in real-world conditions.
Based on this valuable feedback, Deepal has been working closely with its OEM partner Changan Automobile – whose capabilities, technology, and agility enable them to quickly address market needs – to implement key enhancements to the all-new Deepal S07.
Cormac Cafolla, General Manager of Deepal Australia, says, “In just two months, our OEM partner has shown a strong commitment to Australian drivers by responding quickly and thoughtfully to customer feedback. With Changan Automobile’s scale and expertise, we have the ability to move fast and address the needs of Australian consumers.”
The upcoming software updates for the Deepal S07 are designed to address customer feedback while ensuring the vehicle continues to meet the stringent requirements for an ANCAP 5-star safety rating. These updates will improve performance and usability without compromising the vehicle’s safety standards or overall integrity, maintaining its high rating while enhancing the driving experience.
The key enhancements for Deepal S07 are as follows:
Service Interval Changes:
The Deepal S07 service interval has been extended from 10,000km to 20,000km, with the time-based interval remaining at 12 months. Additionally, the previously proposed initial 5000 km service has been removed. This change has been carefully considered following further analysis to ensure vehicle performance and reliability remain at the highest standard. Deepal worked closely with Changan Automobile to ensure this extension meets the needs of Australian customers without compromising quality.
Driver Monitoring System and Cruise Control Enhancements:
The Driver Monitoring System has undergone adjustments to alert warnings (audible, visual, and physical) to better meet Australian drivers’ expectations. These updates will be deployed to all vehicles once local testing is complete, and the company will continue to review market feedback to further enhance performance.
Cruise Control System Improvements:
In collaboration with Changan Automobile, Deepal’s engineering team will conduct local test drives on Australian roads to refine the Cruise Control system’s performance, particularly addressing the speed reduction behavior when approaching bends.
Deepal will uncouple the speed reduction functions of the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control (IACC) systems to allow for smoother, more consistent speed adjustments. Further adjustments to IACC will follow after these tests.
Looking Ahead:
These updates reflect Deepal Australia’s ongoing commitment to creating a driving experience that’s not only safe and enjoyable but truly tailored to the needs of Australian drivers. They say, “We’re constantly refining our vehicles and services to ensure we’re meeting those needs, and we’ll continue sharing our progress as we listen, learn, and grow alongside our customers.”
At seniordriveraus, we can only applaud these changes and that a company is obviously listening to the concerns of its customers. We have often pointed out that too many vehicles (in particular, Chinese vehicles) react far too strongly to outside influences, or intervene far too abruptly. Adaptive cruise control that independently decides that the existing speed is too high for an upcoming bend and reduces the speed (or disables cruise control altogether) is simply not acceptable. It is to be hoped that continued feedback from seniordriveraus readers and others will result in vehicles better suited to Australian expectations and needs. Keep sending us your opinions and we will continue to pass them on to the manufacturers concerns. And with a little luck, some of those petty (and not so petty) annoyances will be addressed. Well done, Deepal!