Unauthorized Mapping Activities In China's Automobile Industry

On October 16, China's Ministry of State Security highlighted a case where a foreign company, in collaboration with a Chinese company, conducted illegal surveying and mapping within the territory of China under the guise of autonomous driving research. The mapping data which contains geographic information of specific areas, later identified as state secrets, was transferred overseas, raising significant concerns within the automobile industry. Major Chinese and international automobile companies have denied involvement.

The key issue is that unauthorized processing of mapping data may be considered to pose national security risks. Mapping data can contain sensitive information related to national security, such as high-precision measurements of military sites. In China, to legally conduct mapping activities, entities must: (i) obtain the necessary certificate when processing mapping data, (ii) obtain necessary approval before transferring mapping data overseas; and