China accuses foreign company of illegal mapping, prompting denials from some electric vehicle companies

Chinese authorities have accused an unnamed foreign company of carrying out illegal mapping activities under the guise of smart driving research, triggering denials from several smart driving and electric vehicle (EV) companies, including Tesla, Mobileye, Geely, Didi Chuxing and Navinfo.

In a post on its official WeChat account on Wednesday, China’s Ministry of State Security said the foreign company, described as a contractor for “sensitive national projects” of another country, had subcontracted the work of geographic cartography to a Chinese company approved for cartography. The ministry says the company illegally obtained map data and transferred sensitive information classified as state secrets out of the country.

According to the ministry, the foreign company purchased several vehicles and installed high-precision radars, GPS and optical lenses, then directed, managed and “manipulated” the Chinese company to carry out the mapping and transfer of data.

“In response, national security authorities, in cooperation with other departments, carried out joint law enforcement actions. The company involved, as well as the personnel responsible, have faced legal consequences,” the statement said.

The announcement sparked a quick response from several companies Wednesday evening, distancing themselves from the controversy.

Tesla Vice President Grace Tao Lin released a statement on social media platform Weibo, saying: “Compliance is the core of the company’s operations. Tesla firmly believes that only compliant intelligence is sustainable intelligence.