Ride-Hailing Driver Permanently Banned After Dozing Off Six Times While Relying on Assisted Driving

A driver on a Chinese ride-sharing platform has been permanently banned after a passenger reported that he leaned on his car's assisted-driving system for nearly the entire length of a seven-hour highway trip, repeatedly nodding off and using his phone behind the wheel.

A passenger surnamed Chen from Guangdong Province told Jiupai News that she and two companions booked a Hellobike carpool ride from Xuwen Port in Zhanjiang to Shenzhen on the evening of June 14. During the journey, she said, the driver leaned heavily on the car's driver-assistance features, taking his hands off the wheel to scroll through his phone and dozing off again and again.

"I saw him doze off six times, and even after we warned him, he didn't change his behavior. He was also using his phone to chat and seemed to be arguing with someone," Chen recounted to Xiaoxiang Morning Post. "He even suggested we sleep in the car, but how could we dare to rest with a driver who doesn't hold the wheel on the highway?"

By Chen's account, the driver kept the assisted-driving mode engaged for roughly 95 percent of the way. After the passengers complained, she said, he sped up to about 150 kilometers per hour, and the car repeatedly set off lane-departure alarms. The trip stretched past seven hours, including two stops to recharge the electric vehicle. Chen said she first noticed him growing drowsy about two hours in, and that he nodded off across several highway stretches as the car passed through Zhongshan and Jiangmen on the way to Shenzhen.

Fearing for their safety, Chen attempted to contact Hellobike's customer service through its mini-program but reported that she did not receive an effective response. While traveling on the Zhongyang Expressway, she and her companions decided to contact the police via text message. Police maintained close contact with them and instructed them to get off at the first feasible stop to meet with officers.

In response to the incident, which was reported by Beijing News, Hellobike stated it had launched an immediate investigation upon receiving the complaint. The company confirmed that the driver's behavior constituted dangerous driving and violated the platform's "safety red line." As a result, the driver's account has been permanently banned.

"Hellobike deeply apologizes for the passenger's bad experience and is currently communicating with her regarding compensation," the company said. It further added that it would intensify safety awareness campaigns for registered drivers and clarify reward and punishment rules.

Chen has provided video evidence of the driver's actions to the police and is awaiting further feedback from the authorities.