How China's Chasing Light S Turns Tunnel Stunts into Smart Access Control

In 2010, Mercedes had Michael Schumacher drive an SLS AMG up a tunnel wall and complete a full loop. It was a stunt, pure theater, but it sold the idea that a heavy GT car could defy physics. Sixteen years later, a Chinese brand named Voyah (Lantu) tried the same trick with a family SUV. The car is called the Chasing Light S, and the loop was real. No CGI, no hidden wires. Just a 5-meter-long electric SUV climbing a curved wall until it flipped over the top and came back down.

The stunt worked. People noticed. But here's the thing: while the loop got the headlines, the more interesting story is what the car does with its sensors. The Chasing Light S is the first production vehicle to ship with Huawei's four-LiDAR system, a setup that's less about showing off and more about controlling access — access to the road, access to the cabin, and access to the driver's attention.

Four LiDARs, Not One

Most cars with LiDAR use one or two units, usually mounted on the roof or in the bumper. The Chasing Light S has four. One main unit sits up front, a 896-line image-grade sensor that can see far down the road. The other three are solid-state blind-spot units tucked into the sides and rear. Together, they give the car a 360-degree view of its surroundings, which is a different kind of loop than the tunnel one.

The main LiDAR handles long-range detection — things like a pedestrian stepping out 200 meters ahead. The side and rear units cover the close-in stuff: a curb, a low concrete pillar in a parking garage, a cyclist squeezing past the bumper. That combination is what makes the car's access control system feel less like a party trick and more like a safety net.

Access Control Beyond Parking

Access control in a car usually means unlocking the doors or starting the engine. But the Chasing Light S redefines it. The car's perception system decides who or what gets access to the vehicle's space. It can detect a child running behind the bumper and pre-tension the seatbelts. It can spot a narrow gap between two trucks on the highway and adjust the steering to slip through. It can even recognize a low-hanging branch and warn the driver before the roof hits it.

That's the kind of access control that matters in daily driving, not just in a stunt tunnel. And it's why Voyah chose Huawei's hardware. The system uses 33 sensors total, including cameras and radar, but the four LiDARs are the backbone. They work in different ranges and angles, creating a redundant mesh of perception. If one sensor gets blinded by rain or mud, the others still cover the gap.

The Loop as a Metaphor

The tunnel loop was a metaphor for the car's chassis. To pull off a 360-degree loop, a car needs massive power, precise suspension, and tires that grip in every direction. The Chasing Light S has a 475 kW dual-motor setup in the all-wheel-drive version, with an aluminum double-wishbone front and five-link rear suspension. It also gets an adaptive damping system that can stiffen up for fast corners and soften for bumpy roads.

That's all fine for the stunt, but the real-world benefit is stability. A car that can loop a tunnel without falling is a car that can change lanes on a wet highway without drama. The chassis is tuned to keep the body flat, which means less motion sickness for passengers and more confidence for the driver.

Inside the Cabin: More Than Screens

The cabin is where the access control story continues. The Chasing Light S has two 15.6-inch screens, a 29-inch AR-HUD, and a rear control panel. But the interesting part is the voice assistant, powered by Huawei's MoLA large model. It can handle fuzzy commands like "I'm a bit stuffy" and figure out whether to open the windows, turn on the AC, or activate the air purifier. That's a form of access control — the car decides which system gets to respond to the driver's intent.

The seats are another layer. Both front seats are zero-gravity units with ventilation, heating, and massage. They can fold flat for rest stops, and the passenger seat can fold forward to give rear passengers more legroom. The cabin also has a 6.6-liter refrigerator, which is a nice touch for families.

Charging and Range: The Practical Side

All that tech needs power. The Chasing Light S uses an 800-volt architecture with a 98 kWh battery. The rear-wheel-drive version gets up to 740 km of CLTC range, which is solid for a big SUV. Fast charging is a highlight: 10 minutes to go from 20% to 80%, and 15 minutes adds up to 577 km. That's more than enough for a cross-country road trip, assuming the charging network cooperates.

The Verdict

The tunnel loop was a bold way to launch a family SUV. It got people talking, and it proved the chassis is serious. But the Chasing Light S's real value is in its everyday access control: the LiDARs that watch every angle, the voice assistant that understands context, and the adaptive suspension that keeps the ride smooth. It's a car that wants to be both exciting and responsible, and that's a harder trick than any loop.

Voyah is betting that Chinese buyers want a sporty SUV that's also smart. The Chasing Light S starts at 223,900 yuan (about $31,000) after discounts, which undercuts many rivals. It faces competition from the Xiaomi YU7 and other crossover SUVs, but the four-LiDAR setup gives it a unique edge. Whether that's enough to win over families remains to be seen, but it's a solid attempt at making access control feel futuristic.