Business & Economy

China bans Tesla vehicles near military complexes over safety concerns

Washington, Mar 20 (efe-epa).- China has limited the use of Tesla vehicles for military and other officials, asking them not to bring these cars near army complexes following safety concerns about sensitive data collected by inbuilt cameras.

The Chinese authorities fear that the sensors that Tesla vehicles come equipped with could send sensitive information to the United States.

Phone data, such as the contact list, is also at the risk of a breach if linked to Tesla vehicles that use cameras for the autopilot driving assistance system.

The Chinese authorities have asked owners of these vehicles not to park the cars in the vicinity of military complexes.

The decision to limit the use of Tesla vehicles came after the Chinese authorities conducted a safety review.

In its 2020 annual report, Tesla warned that “new privacy and cybersecurity laws are going to be implemented in China.”

US analysts say the restrictions were similar to those Washington imposed on products of Chinese telecom giant Huawei.

Tesla identifies China as one of its main markets. More electric vehicles are bought in China than anywhere in the world.

Tesla has an assembly plant in Shanghai, the second for the manufacturer and the first outside the US.

At the Shanghai factory, Tesla produces Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.

The manufacturer says the Model 3 production capacity at the Chinese plant is 250,000 units per year and that it would produce another 200,000 Model Y units.

Tesla says customer response in China to both models was strong.

In 2020, Tesla sold nearly 150,000 vehicles in China, more than 25 percent of its global sales. EFE-EPA

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