Has Apple become a victim of a significant industrial espionage about its future self-driving car, the Apple Car? Anyway, that’s what CNBC media which explains that a former employee of the company pleaded guilty to industrial espionage.

Mass theft of Apple Car vehicles

The case concerns a a former Apple engineer, Xiaolan Zhang. The latter admitted to the US federal authorities that he stole and transferred several confidential data about the Apple Car. According to preliminary investigation data, Xiaolan Zhang used his wife’s laptop to download several gigabytes of data about the future Apple Car. He also managed to recover the car’s electronic circuits, as well as data from Apple’s secret lab. All in all, Xiaolan Zang was able to recover 24 GB of confidential data.

American authorities explain that this data was then transferred to China. According to the first elements of the investigation, Xiaolan Zang passed on this data car manufacturer XPengelectric car giant in China.

Apple explains that it had doubts about its former employee. The latter announced his resignation after a trip to China. Finally, Xiaolan Zang was there arrested at the airport in San Jose, Californiawhen he returned to China.

We also learned this morning that another Apple employee, Jizhong Chen, has also been sued for the same thing the facts His trial will take place on August 29.

A difficult situation due to the geopolitical situation

For its part, the Chinese company XPeng denied accusations of industrial espionage. The Chinese manufacturer reacted as follows: “We also have no related disputes with Apple or any connection to the reported case. We have learned that relevant US authorities are investigating Zhang and have confiscated his computer.”.
The company reminded that it is strictly adheres to the laws in force in the United States and that it attaches great importance to the protection of intellectual property.

at his side Apple has so far declined to comment.. But the matter can quickly become complicated and highly political. First of all, because it is up against two very large companies from two large economic states. But also because of the political situation between China and the United States, which has been particularly tense in recent months amid the war in Taiwan. In addition, the Ministry the American judge preferred not to speak publicly on this issue to avoid unnecessary disputes.

Former Apple engineer pleads guilty to trade secret theft — one of two people accused of stealing trade secrets from the iPhone maker’s nascent self-driving car program https://t.co/i7wNkq25wH

— Reuters (@Reuters) August 23, 2022

If no element allows at this time to prove the involvement of the manufacturer XPeng, challenges of growth of the Chinese company. In a few years, XPeng has become one of the largest manufacturers of electric vehicles in China. In the first half of 2022 XPeng increased revenue by 97% to reach more than $1 billion in the first half of 2022. The company sold more than 34,422 cars in the second quarter of 2022which is 98% more than in the same period of 2021.

Progress that questions many actors in the field. Especially since XPeng provides rapid progress in the development of an autonomous car. If the evidence proves the involvement of the Chinese company in industrial espionage, then the situation could quickly become tense between China and the United States.
Meanwhile, the Apple Car, Apple’s self-driving car, is still slated for 2025.