With self-driving cars becoming the transportation of the future and owners availing everything from improved convenience to enhanced safety, the possibilities of autonomous cars becoming a playground for cybersecurity concerns are no less.
Addressing the government-backed China Development Forum, Chief Executive of Tesla, Elon Musk said that the company would never provide the data collected in China and other countries to the U.S. government on Saturday.
Mr. Musk remarked that Tesla would shut down everywhere should the cars spy in any country after the Chinese government’s decision to ban the company’s car usage by employees of state-owned companies in sensitive industries and military personnel. The country has concerns with the recorded footage from Tesla’s exterior cameras—and the images being sent to the U.S. government.
In 2018, Tesla became the first foreign automaker in China, backed by the state banks after gaining approvals from the Shanghai authorities. And over the last year, the carmaker has sold more than 500,000 vehicles in China, accounting for a quarter of its worldwide sales.
The restrictions started surfacing in January, this year, in a contentious meeting held by Chinese and US diplomats in Alaska. Elon Musk urged a stronger mutual trust between U.S. and China in his statements to the China Development Forum, hosted by a foundation under the State Council.