The American electric vehicle and clean energy company, Tesla will work with global regulators to ensure data security, Chief Executive Mr. Elon Musk commented during an industry event in China.
The electric carmaker, which assembles vehicles for the Chinese market in Shanghai, has been under investigation in the country this year over its flaws in the storage and handling of customer data.
Cars are being fitted with an ever-increasing array of sensors and cameras to assist drivers but the data such equipment generates has also raised questions about privacy and security of the users.
“Data security is not only the responsibility of a single company but also the cornerstone of the whole industry development. Tesla will work with national authorities in all countries to ensure the data security of intelligent and connected vehicles. With the rapid growth of autonomous driving technologies, data security of vehicles is drawing more public concern than ever before,” Mr. Musk stated during the 2021 World New Energy Vehicle Congress on the southern Chinese island of Hainan.
Earlier this year, Tesla faced some challenges in China regarding data privacy, especially when it came to data collection from the cameras in its vehicles. In May, it was reported that staff at some Chinese government offices had been told not to park their Tesla cars inside government compounds due to security concerns over vehicle cameras.
Mr. Musk even commented on the report by stating that, “Tesla is not using its vehicles’ cameras to spy on China.” Following these concerns, the American electric carmaker later said it had established a site in China to store car data locally.
