Lidar-Equipped SUV Does a Loop-the-Loop, but the Real Story Is the Sensors

The Stunt That Got Everyone Talking

If you remember the 2010 Mercedes ad where Michael Schumacher drove an SLS AMG around the inside of a tunnel, you'll have some idea of what Voyah just pulled off. Sixteen years later, a big electric SUV—not a gull-wing supercar—repeated the trick. The Voyah Zhuiguang S entered a circular tunnel, climbed the wall, drove upside down across the top, and came back down. A 360-degree loop, captured on camera.

That's a hell of a visual. But for a vehicle that's 5,050 mm long and 3,000 mm in wheelbase, the loop is more than just marketing theater. It's a statement about chassis dynamics, power delivery, and what the suspension can handle when the load direction keeps flipping.

And yet, for anyone interested in computer vision, the more interesting loop is the one happening invisibly around the car—the 360-degree perception from four lidar units and 33 sensors total.

A Big SUV That Thinks It's a Sports Car

The Zhuiguang S is Voyah's first mid-to-large pure-electric coupe SUV. It's got the usual family hauling gear: a fridge, dual screens, zero-gravity seats. But the company clearly didn't want it to be just another boxy EV for the school run. They gave it a sloped roofline, a full aluminum chassis, and a powertrain that can produce up to 475 kW in the all-wheel-drive version.

Underneath, there's a double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension, plus what they call an EDC variable magic carpet suspension. It adjusts damping on the fly—stiffens up for fast lane changes and corners, softens for bumps and gravel. Optional air suspension adds 80 mm of height adjustment.

The loop-the-loop wasn't just a camera trick. It required sustained power to keep climbing, tires that could grip at odd angles, and a suspension that wouldn't let the car bottom out or wobble when the load reversed at the apex. It's the kind of test you don't normally see for a family SUV.

Why the Loop Matters for Perception

Here's where computer vision comes in. The same 360-degree idea that makes a loop-the-loop visually spectacular is also what the car's sensor suite is trying to achieve—just in a different dimension. Instead of rotating around a tunnel, the vehicle needs to understand everything around it at all times.

The Zhuiguang S uses Huawei's Qiankun ADS 5 system with four lidar units. That's not a typo. There's one primary image-grade lidar with 896 lines, plus three solid-state blind-spot lidars mounted on the sides and rear. Add in the rest of the 33 sensors, and you get a fairly comprehensive view of the car's surroundings.

The primary lidar handles long-range detection—things far down the road. The three supplementary units cover the near field: narrow alleyways, low obstacles, parking lot pillars. Together, they form a 360-degree bubble of perception.

Lidar Overload or Necessary Coverage?

Four lidars might seem excessive. Most production cars get by with one or two. But Voyah's approach is more about redundancy and coverage. The side and rear units address the blind spots that a single forward-facing lidar simply can't see. That's especially useful in tight urban environments where a low concrete block or a stray shopping cart could be missed by cameras alone.

Lidar has its critics—it's expensive, and some companies are betting on camera-only systems. But for a vehicle that's almost two meters wide and over five meters long, having a few extra eyes (or laser pulses) could be the difference between a close call and a fender bender.

The Interior: Comfort and Tech Go Hand in Hand

Step inside, and the sporty vibe takes a back seat. There are dual 15.6-inch 2.5K screens up front, a 29-inch AR-HUD, a rear control panel, and a 6.6-liter cooler box. The audio system has 27 speakers. Both front seats are zero-gravity with ventilation, heating, and massage. The passenger seat folds forward to give rear passengers more legroom.

The coupe roofline could have eaten into rear headroom, but Voyah kept the slope gentle after the B-pillar, so there's still decent space for second-row passengers and cargo. There's also an 80-liter frunk with drainage—handy for wet umbrellas or smelly gym clothes.

Charging and Range: The Practical Side

Under the skin, the Zhuiguang S rides on an 800-volt architecture with silicon carbide inverters. The battery is 98 kWh, and the rear-wheel-drive version claims a CLTC range of up to 740 km. Fast charging is impressive: 10 minutes to go from 20% to 80%, and 15 minutes adds up to 577 km. That's the kind of number that makes road trips less stressful.

The all-wheel-drive version trades a bit of range for that extra punch—175 kW front motor plus 300 kW rear motor, total 475 kW. It's not the fastest EV out there, but for a family SUV, it's plenty.

The Role of Huawei: More Than Just Lidar

Huawei's involvement goes beyond the sensors. The cabin runs HarmonyOS 5.2 with a MoLA large language model. You can say things like "the windows are foggy" or "I'm feeling stuffy," and the system figures out whether to turn on the AC, defogger, or open a window. That kind of fuzzy logic is becoming more common, but it's still nice to see it working in a production car.

The lidar setup is also Huawei's. That means the perception stack—object detection, fusion, path planning—is all from the same vendor, which usually leads to better integration than mixing brands.

Will Anyone Actually Use the Loop?

Probably not. The loop-the-loop is a stunt, and Voyah knows it. But it serves a purpose: it gets people talking, and it signals that this isn't just another bland electric SUV. For a brand that's been known for its premium MPV, the Zhuiguang S is a chance to add some sportiness to its image.

Still, the real test will come in daily driving. All the lidar and AR-HUD in the world won't matter if the ride is harsh or the software glitches. But if the sensors and the chassis work as advertised, this could be a compelling package.

Competition and the Road Ahead

The Zhuiguang S isn't entering an empty field. The Xiaomi YU7 and the Zhijie RX are both coming, and they'll have similar specs and price points. Voyah's advantage might be its willingness to take risks—like putting a family SUV through a loop just to prove a point.

In the end, the loop-the-loop is a memorable marketing move, but the four-lidar system is what might actually make a difference on the road. Because while a 360-degree spin is impressive to watch, a 360-degree view of the world is something you can use every day.