Cameras in Tesla cars are not activated outside of North America. That’s how blunt was the statement from the electric vehicle manufacturer with which it wanted to calm the safety concerns facing the company in China, the world’s largest automotive market.
The company Elon Musk faces a challenge in that Asian country after the local army banned vehicles from entering Tesla their complexes in March 2021.
Chinese military authorities raised security concerns about the cameras available in cars over fear that the United States would use them as a method of espionage.
However, Tesla decided to address these concerns by posting to its major Chinese social media accounts.
“Even in the United States, car owners can freely choose whether to activate their use [the camera system],” the company stated on Weibo.
He added that the vehicles are equipped with “a network security system with world-leading security levels to ensure the protection of user privacy.”
Musk himself had addressed the concerns in a virtual forum held in Beijing after the first concerns emerged.
“There is a very strong incentive for us to be very confidential with any information. If Tesla uses cars to spy in China or anywhere, they will shut us down, ”he emphasized.
The restrictions come as China has become a key battleground for electric vehicles.
Thirty percent of Tesla’s global sales were in China, making it a relevant market for the company.
However, local firms such as Xiaomi or Huawei , in addition to the American Apple – which also operates in China – have announced their interest in entering this market.