Electric Car Manufacturers Asked To Share Location Data By The Chinese Government

According to Associated Press reports, in China, location and car usage information from Chinese electric car owners was unknowingly shared with the government by manufacturers.

The reason is that government laws require electric car manufacturers to send their vehicle's information to relevant government authorities. Tesla, General Motors, Mitsubishi, Nissan and many other ones are among these manufacturers.

When being asked about its vehicles’ data collection, Tesla rejects to give out any information.

According to the Chinese government, the collected data will be used for road safety enhancement and car ownership incentive schemes monitoring. Without car owner’s consent, data from more than 200 manufacturers have been sent. However, in other people’s opinions, this is considered to be a privacy invasion.

Information from EV companies is collected by a Government-funded company

The Shanghai Electric Vehicle Public Data Collecting, Monitoring, and Research Center is in charge of collecting car companies’ real-time data on electric cars. Gradually, they have created a massive database of car owners’ information. This includes information on the location and car usage.

A document published in 2016 suggested that, in China, data from electric vehicles’ sensors is transmitted back to their manufacturers. These manufacturers are then required to send at least 61 data points which consist of battery and engine function details and location to local data centers.

China and its push for electric vehicles

Although the center is non-profit, it is still in alignment with and being funded by the federal government. With the Chinese government ambition to reach a percentage of 20 percent for all new car sales by 2025, the data collected is assumed to increase. In order for China to become a more energy self-sufficient country, Chinese car manufacturers must reach new energy vehicles minimums. Authorities can collect more information if there are more electric cars in traffic.

No surveillance regulations

In China, there is no regulation against vehicle surveillance. The media has reported on this issue although almost every vehicle owner does not know that their data is collected and provided for the government.

Last year, residents, living in Xinjiang which is in the western part of China, need to install a GPS tracker on their vehicles for a surveillance procedures test.

Another surveillance trial program is carried out that let the Ministry of Public Security experiment a vehicle tracking system using windshield radio frequency chips. When moving vehicles pass roadside rending devices, these chips will recognize those vehicles.

Any foreign companies want to enter the Chinese vehicle market are forced to submit their data to make sure that they are eligible. This raises fear among people that the next generation of cars may collect and transmit even more personal data, which will undoubtedly enhance government authorities’ power.