Why does it take so long to build a global car?

Why can't global cars be built quickly? Because people in different countries have driving habits that vary too much.

For instance, Thai users feel unsafe if the steering wheel is too light, so the steering force needs to be adjusted one level heavier. Indonesia has many poor roads, so the steering feel is also adjusted to be a bit heavier. In Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Southeast Asia, sunlight is intense, so the steering wheel and center console should use low-reflection materials as much as possible because many people wear sunglasses for long periods while driving.

Users in Turkey and Israel are more accustomed to physical buttons, so some high-frequency functions cannot be fully embedded in the screen. In Europe, many people also prefer parking with the front of the car facing inwards, so when the vehicle is about 70 cm away from an obstacle, the front camera will automatically display.

None of these are major technologies on their own, but together, this is the most time-consuming part of global vehicle models.

The Fengyun T7 project conducted over 5,000+ global user surveys in the early stage, covering 15 typical national scenarios. The entire project involved 2 years of planning and 3 years of R&D, and the durability verification alone ran for 1.45 million kilometers.

Selling the same car to more than a dozen or even dozens of countries is truly not just about switching to right-hand drive or adapting a few languages. Climate, road conditions, parking methods, and even whether the steering wheel should be lighter or heavier, all need to be adapted step by step.

So, the phrase "Global cars can't be built quickly", I truly believe it's not an excuse for slow R&D. Customizing for different users worldwide simply cannot be done quickly.