As Chinese companies test autonomous vehicles on U.S. roads, concerns are growing about the sheer amount of data these “roving surveillance machines” collect and the potential impact on national security.
luck Reports Chinese companies have been quietly testing self-driving cars on American roads in recent years, particularly in California. While this may seem like a harmless bit of technological advancement, experts are raising alarms about potential national security risks associated with these vehicles.
According to data from the state’s Department of Transportation, self-driving cars owned by Chinese companies have driven 1.8 million miles in California alone since 2017. Equipped with advanced cameras, sensors and mapping technology, these vehicles can collect vast amounts of data about their surroundings, including detailed video footage and precise geospatial information.
Of the 35 companies approved to test self-driving cars in California, seven are based wholly or partially in China. Five of them – WeRide, Apollo, AutoX, and Huawei – are based in China. Pony.aiSelf-driving cars from companies like Didi, Didi Research America and others were active on California roads last year, and some of these companies have also received permission to test in other states, including Arizona and Texas.
The concern is not just the amount of data collected, but also how it is stored and accessed. Some Chinese self-driving car makers appear to be storing U.S. data inside China, according to privacy policies reviewed by Fortune. Experts warn that this effectively gives the data access to the Chinese government.
Craig Singleton, director of the China program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, described the current situation as “literally a lawless zone,” highlighting the lack of oversight and regulation in the field. The potential uses of this data range from mass surveillance to detailed mapping to aid in war planning.
Despite these concerns, there is a surprising lack of oversight or regulation surrounding Chinese-owned self-driving cars: state and federal agencies that oversee self-driving car testing acknowledge that they currently have no process for monitoring or reviewing what data these vehicles are collecting or how it is being used.
This regulatory gap is especially striking given the U.S. government’s stance toward other Chinese-owned tech companies, such as TikTok and Huawei, which face increased scrutiny and possible bans over similar data security concerns.
The data collected by these vehicles could provide valuable information about infrastructure, population movements, and even individual behavior. In the wrong hands, some experts say, this information could be used for anything from targeted disinformation campaigns to more sinister purposes, such as plotting assassinations.
Adding to the concerns is the stark contrast between how China and the United States are handling this technology: Chinese companies are free to test autonomous vehicles in the United States, but American companies are not allowed to do so in China unless they partner with authorized Chinese companies.
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Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering free speech and online censorship.
