Introduction
On November 18th, 2021, the WmAuto M7 made its debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show as WmAuto’s first flagship sedan. Here are some of its highlights:
- Equipped with four NVIDIA Orin-X chips (maximum computing power of 1,016 TOPS)
- Equipped with five millimeter-wave radars, twelve ultrasonic radars, seven 8 million pixel cameras and 4 surrounded cameras
- Three solid-state self-focusing super vision laser radars
- Touch-shift design integrated into the steering wheel, no need to release the steering wheel to shift gears
It is worth mentioning that the interior of the WmAuto M7 was unveiled for the first time at this exhibition. The overall design of the interior is similar to WmAuto’s concept map released in July, which adopts the popular double-screen design. There are hardly any physical buttons visible in the entire interior as all functionality is integrated into the central large screen. The M7 also provides two high-definition entertainment displays for rear passengers, bringing the total number of screens in the car up to four.
With the world’s first touch-shift design integrated into the steering wheel, the WmAuto M7 allows drivers to shift gears without having to release the steering wheel. As for how to prevent users from accidentally triggering a dangerous situation while driving, more information will be reported in the future.
Above the “T” shaped control panel in the WmAuto M7’s center console, there is an innovative intelligent rotary knob with a small screen embedded. WmAuto officially calls it “i-Rota Intelligent Wearable.” The knob can be used to adjust air conditioning temperature and media information, as well as to view weather, time, and vehicle warning information. Similar to NIO’s “NOMI,” it can also display a personified expression, enabling passengers and drivers to engage in visual voice control. This is yet another highlight of the interior.
There is also a small screen in front of the co-pilot in the WmAuto M7, which WmAuto calls “i-Surf Technological Skin”. It can reflect a variety of lighting atmospheres and support user customization of interface content, such as creating a gaming-themed space, setting up event reminders, etc. When a vehicle approaches from the side, the i-Surf Technological Skin will issue a collision warning in advance.
## Exterior Design
The WmAuto M7 is positioned as a mid-to-large size vehicle, with a length of 4,930 mm and a wheelbase of 2,918 mm, which is similar to its competition. Its exterior design comes from the Maven concept car that WmAuto released at the Beijing Auto Show. In the future, WmAuto’s M “Master Series” will all be sedans.
The black strip on the hood is very distinctive and eye-catching, similar to the design of the BMW i8. There is a continuous light strip on the front connected to the left and right headlights, which will display different lighting effects according to different interactive content. There is also a microphone on the outside of the car to ensure that users can interact with the vehicle even when outside of it.
The three protrusions at the top are: a variable-focus LiDAR sensor in the center, and two high-definition cameras on both sides (there are a total of seven cameras on the vehicle).
The WmAuto M7 has a two-tone color scheme, extending from the rear window to the front hood. Due to the size of the battery pack, the WmAuto M7 had to make some compromises. Compared to ordinary cars, its ground clearance is higher. In addition, there are two LiDAR sensors on both sides of the WmAuto M7’s fenders. Placing them in this position makes people worry that daily scratches and collisions may damage them.
At the rear, the WmAuto M7 uses a straight line to span left and right, making the continuous taillights look less rigid.
Conclusion
As a leading force among once up-and-coming car makers, WmAuto obviously has high expectations for its first sedan. Although it may seem to be late compared to its competitors, a good dish is never too late. The sincerity shown by the WmAuto M7 is sufficient.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.