Watch: Xiaomi sets driverless Nürburgring record with YU7 GT

Xiaomi says its YU7 GT electric SUV has set a new record for the fastest autonomous lap of Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife.

The driverless SUV completed the 20.8km circuit in 10 minutes 29.483 seconds, navigating the infamous track without a human behind the wheel.

While the time is well short of outright Nürburgring records set by performance cars and professional racing drivers, it marks a significant milestone for autonomous driving technology.

As a comparison, a Manthey-equipped Porsche 911 GT3 RS recently lapped the circuit in 6min 45.389sec, while Volkswagen’s Golf GTI managed a 7min 44.523sec lap.

Xiaomi appears to have limited the YU7 GT’s speed in certain sections of the circuit during the autonomous run. On the long Döttinger Höhe straight, the SUV reached around 200km/h, well below the speeds typically achieved by high-performance vehicles on the same stretch.

The Chinese technology giant is no stranger to the Nürburgring. Earlier this year, racing driver Vincent Radermecker recorded a 7min 22.755sec lap in the YU7 GT, while the smaller SU7 Ultra posted a 7min 04.957sec time in 2025.

The YU7 GT is powered by a dual-motor electric drivetrain producing 727kW, enabling a claimed 0-100km/h sprint in 2.92 seconds and a top speed of 300km/h.

Xiaomi claims a driving range of more than 700km, supported by a 101kWh battery pack.

The SUV also features adaptive suspension, carbon-ceramic brakes and six-piston Akebono brake calipers.

Autonomous driving functions are powered by Nvidia’s Drive AGX Thor platform and supported by a suite of sensors including LiDAR and 4D millimetre-wave radar.

Xiaomi has yet to announce plans for Australia or New Zealand, although the company is preparing to enter European markets, potentially paving the way for future expansion into other right-hand-drive regions.