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On October 16, China’s Ministry of State Security disclosed an incident reportedly involving illegal mapping by a foreign corporation.
The foreign entity, termed as Company A, was found to be conducting unauthorized geographic information mapping within China. This was done in collaboration with a domestic Chinese company, Company B, which holds mapping qualifications. The activities were allegedly carried out under the pretext of intelligent driving research. The data obtained from these operations reportedly encroached upon China’s state secrets, potentially posing a national security risk.
In response, Mobileye, an autonomous driving firm owned by Intel, released a statement on October 17. The company asserted its commitment to full legal compliance in its operations, including in China, under the oversight of qualified partners. Mobileye emphasized its strict adherence to all pertinent laws and regulations.
Tesla’s Global Vice President and head of external affairs in China, Tao Lin, also responded to the situation. Sharing related updates, Tao Lin underscored the importance of regulatory compliance in corporate operations. She stated that Tesla firmly believes in the principle of intelligent compliance for sustainable development, with a commitment to providing consumers with safe, reliable products and consistently excellent services.
Additionally, autonomous driving industry companies within China, including Navinfo and Zeekr, have publicly denied any involvement in the illegal mapping incident. They made their statements on the social media platform Weibo, confirming their operations do not pose a threat to national security.
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