Tesla CEO Elon Musk emphasized that his cars will never be used for spying at a conference in China. He said this a day after the Chinese army announced that it no longer wanted Teslas on their bases.
The armed forces fear that the cameras built into the cars could record sensitive information.
“If a commercial company engaged in espionage, the negative effects on that company would be extremely bad,” Musk said at the conference organized by the Chinese government.
“For example, if Tesla were to use the cars to spy in China – or anywhere, any country – we will be shut down everywhere. So there is a very strong incentive for us to be very confidential with all information.”
Teslas have cameras and modern technology (parking assistance) that are difficult for the military to control. There are also cameras that monitor the car’s interior and even monitor the driver’s driving behavior.
The military has spread a message internally stating that anyone who goes to Chinese soldiers or military complexes with a Tesla should park that car far outside the destination.
