Chinese regulator asks automakers to conduct data security, cybersecurity self-reviews

Chinese regulator of the automotive industry has begun asking car companies to conduct self-examinations of their data security and cybersecurity in order to address safety concerns.

A notice issued Monday by the Equipment Industry Development Center of China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) shows that car companies are being asked to start conducting self-examinations and filling out reports on data security, cybersecurity, OTA and driver assistance functions.

Companies that fail to report, conceal the situation or provide false information will be punished accordingly.

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The action involves all car companies licensed to manufacture in China, who are required to submit their reports by October 12, 2021.

The table provided by the MIIT shows that the self-examination covers issues such as whether car companies collect and store data, whether they have a comprehensive data management system and whether they have a cybersecurity monitoring mechanism.

The issues related to OTA include whether the car companies have a comprehensive system, whether it has a security impact assessment system, whether it has a testing and verification and software version management system, and the OTA master control module involved in the previous upgrades.

At the International Forum on Chinese Automotive Industry Development, which closed on September 5, Xin Guobin, vice-minister of the MIIT, said that with the development of smart connected vehicles, the issue of network data security has come to the fore.

If regulatory measures are not followed up in time, it may bring significant security risks, Xin said.

As vehicle technology advances, data security issues related to the unauthorized collection and use of personal information and important data will arise, Xin said, adding that regulatory measures should therefore be stepped up to optimize the development environment.

Xin called for upgrading the safety technical standards of new energy vehicles, promoting enterprises to improve the safety operation and monitoring system, and increasing product consistency checks.