Saturday 20th March 2021
The military senses espionage
Tesla boss Musk wants to calm the Chinese
Teslas are no longer allowed on Chinese military grounds. The army justifies the ban with the danger of espionage. Electric car pioneer Elon Musk is trying to allay concerns.
Tesla is in trouble in China. Anyone who works in the People's Republic in the military, in state-owned companies from sensitive industries or in important authorities should avoid the US manufacturer's electric cars in the future. The military bans the Teslas on army grounds including the living areas. Authorities have been asked to ban their employees from using their cars on their way to work. The reason: Fear that the cameras installed in the vehicles will be used to collect sensitive data.
Elon Musk, head of the electric car pioneer, is trying to dispel the concerns. "There is a very strong incentive for us to be very confidential with information," he said during a virtual development forum event in China. "Should Tesla use cars to spy in China or elsewhere, we will be shut down."
A security check of Tesla vehicles in China showed that they were taking photos of their surroundings with their cameras, media reports said. Tesla can also collect information about when and where the vehicles were used. In addition, there would be information on the drivers and the contact lists from their mobile phones, which are synchronized with the vehicles. The Chinese government fears that all of this data could be sent to the US.
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