More Than 10,000 units of the Xiaomi M365 electric scooter has been affected by a security issue that could potentially harm the rider. The company is now issuing a massive recall program all across Europe.
Xiaomi, the company that makes the M365 electric scooter, recently announced a recall of the device over safety issues. In the folding apparatus, a screw could become loose and cause the top part of the scooter – the handlebar axle – to fold while a rider is using it. This problem affects 10,257 units, according to Xiaomi. The United Kingdom has the most affected units. The other countries with faulty scooters include:
The recall does not affect the United States. A recall program is set to begin in the UK on June 26th and other markets on July 1. Customers can see if their scooter is affected by going to the Mi Global Home recall notice page and entering the unit’s serial number.
Affected serial numbers range from 21074/00000316 – 21074/00015107 to 16133/00541209 – 16133/00544518. These scooters were produced between October 27-December 5, 2018, so if you bought your scooter very recently, it’s probably fine. You definitely want to make sure, however.
Customers can find the S/N printed on the side of their scooter on the label that includes its specs. If the scooter is affected, the rider is asked to enter their email address on the website and within 72 hours, they’ll get sent additional info about repairs. Xiaomi will pay for all the scooter repairs necessary.
The Xiaomi Corporation was founded in 2010. It is an internet company that builds a variety of tech products including smartphones. It’s actually the world’s fourth-largest smartphone brand, though sales have been declining over the years. Products can be found in over 80 countries.
The M365 scooter is part of the company’s goal to expand into new territory. Thus far, the scooter has been very popular and has been used by companies like Bird and Lyft. This isn’t the only concern many have with this scooter, however.
Earlier this year, a mobile security firm discovered the scooter could be hacked. Thanks to insecurity in the Bluetooth tech that lets riders control their scooters with an app, a hacker could, in theory, gain control and make the scooter speed up or stop.
There wasn’t any type of authentication needed, and the test hacker was even able to install firmware, despite it not being from Xiaomi. Other Bluetooth scooters have similar problems, and according to a WIRED article, Xiaomi doesn’t develop its own Bluetooth code but outsources to a third-party.
Since Xiaomi wants to play an important role in the “Internet of Things” era, the Bluetooth issue may ultimately be a bigger problem than the loose screw.
Electric scooters are fun, but safety always comes first. Ensure that you research products properly before making a purchase. Feel free to read our guide on the best electric scooters – We’ve done our homework!
Rasmus is the creative lead at ERideHero. As a jack of all trades, Rasmus handles videography, photography and review write-ups as well as website development. He has tested more than 100 personal electric vehicles of all sorts across more than 6,000 miles.
