Truck maker BYD rejects suggestions of espionage

Electric vehicle manufacturer BYD responded to assertions made at a Senate hearing last week that the company could combine technology with ties to the Chinese government to spy on Americans.

Much of the hearing focused on BYD and railcar manufacturer China Railway Rolling Stock Corp. (CRRC), which were singled out as agents of China’s strategy to dominate sectors of U.S. industry by using Chinese government subsidies to undercut contract bids.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, testified that sensor and camera technology installed on electric buses operating in the U.S. like those manufactured by BYD are capable of “spying on passengers and our infrastructure network.”

BYD asserted in a statement emailed to FreightWaves, however, that the company “does not build buses that spy on Americans. It builds buses that meet the specifications of its many transit agency customers around the United States. They are technologically superior to any other product on the market. BYD is driving innovation and partnering with many American start-up ventures in the battle against climate change. It is unfortunate that BYD’s competitors have chosen to use the legislative process to gain a competitive advantage in the market.”