Chinese self-driving cars have traveled 1.8M miles on U.S. roads

Chinese self-driving cars, including those from companies like WeRide, Apollo, and Pony.ai, have covered 1.8 million miles on California roads since 2017, collecting detailed data using cameras and sensors. These vehicles are part of a state program allowing autonomous vehicle testing, with seven Chinese companies approved. Concerns have been raised about potential data privacy and national security risks, as some Chinese companies may store U.S. data in China, potentially accessible to the Chinese government. Despite the sensitivity of the data collected, there is a lack of oversight from state and federal agencies regarding the information gathered by these vehicles. Experts highlight the significant data collection capabilities of self-driving cars and the potential risks associated with this data falling into the wrong hands. The situation underscores the challenges in regulating data security involving Chinese self-driving cars and the need for improved oversight to address privacy and national security concerns.