House lawmakers question 10 AV companies over ties to China

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of 14 House lawmakers is raising concerns over how Chinese self-driving technology companies might be handling data that's collected while testing their autonomous vehicles in the U.S.

In separate letters sent Wednesday to 10 companies — including Baidu, AutoX, Didi Chuxing, Nio, Pony.ai and XPeng — the lawmakers asked for details by Nov. 29 on the type of information collected by AVs deployed in the U.S., how long that data is kept and whether it is shared or sold.

Among their requests, the lawmakers also sought answers on whether data collected in the U.S. is shared with the Chinese government or entities affiliated with China.

The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Automotive News.

"Since there is currently not a comprehensive, federal data privacy and security law to protect against the exploitation of this information, there needs to be greater transparency around what information you collect while testing on American roads, and whether you are financially tied to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) through a golden share or other financial stake," the lawmakers wrote.

The lawmakers said they were also concerned over China's ability to "exploit America's lack of a comprehensive data privacy and security law to obtain sensitive information collected" while the companies test and deploy AVs in the U.S.

"From 2014 to 2017, the CCP passed several laws requiring all Chinese companies to provide CCP officials access to user data," the lawmakers wrote. "Further, all Chinese companies must comply with the laws of the CCP, which in some cases has been described as a 'require[ment] to build [their] networks in such a way as where the Chinese government has access.' "

The 14 lawmakers who signed the letters include House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash.; Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J.; House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Chair Mike Gallagher, R-Wis.; and Select Committee Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill.

U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell and Haley Stevens, both Michigan Democrats who are staunch allies of the U.S. auto industry, also signed the letters.

The lawmakers' requests to the companies come after a House panel in July considered separate draft legislation on AVs from Dingell and Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, who also signed the letters.

Dingell, Latta and two other lawmakers previously urged the Biden administration to investigate and limit the operation of AVs made by Chinese companies in the U.S., citing concerns of national security and competitiveness.

At the July hearing, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers raised concerns over China's AV advancements and risks to U.S. leadership.