Xiaomi founder and CEO Lei Jun responded Monday to social media criticism over a wheel detachment incident involving the company’s electric vehicle, calling it a recognized safety design used in luxury cars.

In a post on his personal Weibo account, Lei said the “sacrificing wheels to save the car” concept has long been adopted by premium automakers. “I used to think Volvo was the first to implement this technology, but it actually started with Mercedes,” he wrote.

Lei emphasized that Xiaomi has made significant safety investments in its vehicles. “From the very beginning of our car project, we have said: safety is the foundation, safety is the premise,” he added.