India, July 16 -- When Xiaomi first made its intentions clear with the Human x Car x Home philosophy in early 2024, skeptics would have likely brushed it aside as another instance of corporate-speak. It didn't feel that way, as I got a first glimpse of the Xiaomi SU7 electric sedan at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) showcase in Barcelona. Or a few days earlier, when walking through history and the cutting-edge present at the Leica Gallery Wetzlar and the Ernst Leitz Museum. More than the words and the timing, it is the underlying form, the intent and the sentiment which often needs to be assessed to gauge the seriousness. I saw that then, and I see that now. There's a reason why I jogged you through a bit of history.

A few days ago, Xiao...