Roger Fingas
Following up on an internal Apple investigation, the FBI has arrested a second person accused of trying to steal secrets related to the company's self-driving car platform.
Apple management first took notice when a worker spotted the suspect, a Chinese national named Jizhong Chen, taking photos in a secret work area, according to an unsealed criminal complaint seen by NBC Bay Area. Chen was an engineer with the company.
Apple's Global Security team then searched Chen's computer, discovering manuals, diagrams, and schematics, as well as about a hundred photos shot inside Apple offices. One photo handed to the FBI depicted an assembly drawing of an Apple-designed wiring harness.
The motive quickly became apparent, as Chen recently applied for a job at an unspecified Chinese self-driving technology company. In fact Chen was arrested just one day before he was scheduled to fly back to China, which would've put him out of reach.
"Apple takes confidentiality and the protection of our IP very seriously," a spokesperson said on Tuesday. "We are working with authorities on this matter and are referring all questions to the FBI," the person added, but the FBI has so far declined to comment.
In July 2018 another former Apple worker, Xiaolang Zhang, was arrested on suspicion of stealing secrets to hand over to China's XMotors. That firm has U.S. offices in Mountain View, not far from Apple Park.
The exact nature of Apple's self-driving program remains a mystery. The company was originally working on a full-fledged electric car, but then scaled back to platform development and testing modified existing vehicles on California roads. More recently rumors of a self-designed car have revived, even as over 200 workers were shed from the "Project Titan" team.
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44 Comments
Project Titanic.
Tim Cook bends over backwards to try to grow business in China and this what they do to him. Can you stay stabbed in the back
"The exact nature of Apple's self-driving program remains a mystery."
I'd guess it isn't a mystery to the Chinese. Besides, saying they caught two doesn't mean there were only two. They were just the unlucky/bad spies.
You go where the growth is or you contract. They have been ripped off by American and Korean companies alike. From Microsoft to Google then Samsung. These were all partners that they helped in their growth, that chose to use what they learned against them. The list continues, so they know it can come from anywhere. I think the former companies are far more hurtful than a spy from a competitor.
Everyone in forums are saying Apple needs to stick to what they know (phones) and cannot innovate the car industry.
So I have no idea what these spy's want.
/s