Driver Claims Cruise Control Malfunction in 490km Survival Ride

A driver in northwestern China survived a four-hour highway ordeal after his car's cruise control allegedly malfunctioned, locking the speed at 115 km/h and leaving the brakes unresponsive until the vehicle ran out of fuel some 490 kilometers later.

The incident, which occurred on the Lanzhou-Haikou Expressway on December 17, drew wide public attention after local traffic police and highway authorities escorted the moving vehicle and helped clear traffic until it safely coasted to a stop.

In a video statement released on Monday, the driver, Ma Shihua, expressed his gratitude to police and road crews. "Without their escort and coordination, I might not be here speaking today," he said.

Recounting the harrowing experience to Jimu News, Ma described frantic attempts to regain control of the vehicle. He said he tried pressing the brake and accelerator, shifting to neutral, pulling the handbrake, and repeatedly attempting to cancel or adjust the cruise control — all without success.

"Those more than four hours felt endlessly long, a true life-and-death struggle," Ma said. After the car finally stopped, he was left shaking, speechless, and had to be assisted into a rescue vehicle.

While some online commentators speculated the incident was staged, Ma responded firmly: "Who would risk their life like this for a show?"

A representative from the vehicle's manufacturer, which was not identified, told Jimu News after the incident that while over 200,000 units of the model have been sold, the company has not received previous reports of similar cruise control failures.

Ma stated that he purchased the car over a year ago for approximately 130,000 yuan (US$18,496). He confirmed that an agreement has been reached with the manufacturer, including a full refund for the car and financial compensation. He clarified that an earlier mention of a 50,000-yuan "emotional distress" claim was inaccurate but declined to disclose the final settlement amount, citing privacy.

Ma emphasized that the settlement agreement preserves his right to disclose the cause of the malfunction — once it is determined — to relevant authorities and the public, and to involve independent third-party investigators if necessary.

"I'm not just settling privately," he said. "When the cause is clear, the rumors will disappear."

The cause of the malfunction remains under investigation by the manufacturer. No further details or timelines for the investigation have been released.