China clamps down on auto data collection by Tesla and others

New rules would ban overseas transfer of road and landscape information

A Tesla car in Shanghai. The automaker is suspected of transferring data collected by its vehicles in China to the U.S. © Reuters

SHUNSUKE TABETA, Nikkei staff writer

May 13, 2021 03:59 JST

BEIJING -- China has moved to sharply restrict the types of automotive data that companies can take beyond its borders, exercising greater control over a crucial factor in the competitiveness of Tesla and other global carmakers.

Draft rules published Wednesday by the Cyberspace Administration of China would ban unapproved overseas transfer of data on Chinese road traffic and vehicle positioning, as well as images and other information gathered by onboard camera and sensors.