Protection of Personal Information in the Era of Autonomous Vehicles: China’s Dilemma and Legal System Reactions

Autonomous vehicles, often described as “computers on wheels,” must collect extensive data, including personal information, and employ data analysis to enhance their self-learning capabilities. In this process, users’ personal information is particularly vulnerable to excessive collection, leakage, and misuse. Accordingly, establishing a robust legal framework for the protection of personal information in the context of autonomous driving is of critical importance. China has not yet implemented an Autonomous Driving Law, and the related legal provisions on protecting of personal information in the field of autonomous vehicles still unclear. We conducted a comparative analysis of the policies and legislation on automated driving and personal information protection in various countries and regions. The results indicate that China could benefit from the EU’s approach to expanding protection. Considering the current state of China’s legal system and legislative trends, it is more suitable to guide the legal application of personal information protection for automated driving through legal interpretation, alongside the existing laws on personal information protection.