China Bans Government Employees From Driving Teslas Over Spying Concerns

Tesla’s electric cars are pretty popular around the world and many are trying to get their hands on them. This is due to how futuristic Tesla’s cars are, where they come with a host of sensors and cameras that can even help the car drive by itself. However, it seems that it is exactly these sensors that has China’s government worried.

According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, it seems that China has issued a new rule in which people who work for the country’s government agencies, military, or state-owned enterprises in sensitive industries will not be allowed to drive Teslas. This is apparently due to a concern that the cameras in the car can be used to gather information about China and its operations that could then be sent back to the US.

However, Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk has since responded to those concerns. Speaking at a Chinese forum during a virtual discussion, Musk stated that had Tesla’s cars been used for spying in China or anywhere around the world, they would have already been shut down. It’s not surprising that Musk is concerned about this new rule.

This is because according to a report from Reuters, it is said that Tesla had sold 147,445 cars in China last year, and that accounted for 30% of its global sales, so obviously that is a market that they do not want to lose any ground in.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Transportation
Tags: China, Privacy, Tesla