Tech Firms Navigate US-China Decoupling

Despite governmental efforts towards technological separation between the United States and China, private technology companies continue to utilize resources from both nations. Within the autonomous vehicle sector, it is increasingly common to observe Chinese startups – or those with significant connections to China – maintaining operations and seeking investment in both countries.

Increased Scrutiny of Chinese Ties

As these companies progress and broaden their global reach, their links to China are facing heightened examination. This increased scrutiny presents new challenges for firms operating across international borders.

TuSimple's IPO and CFIUS Review

The recent initial public offering filing by TuSimple, a San Diego-based self-driving truck company, highlighted a potential regulatory risk stemming from its Chinese funding. The company’s prospectus specifically addressed this concern.

On March 1st, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) formally requested a written notification from TuSimple regarding an investment made by Sun Dream. Sun Dream is an affiliate of Sina Corporation, the operator of Sina Weibo, China’s leading microblogging platform.

Sun Dream's Stake in TuSimple

Sun Dream currently holds the largest shareholding in TuSimple, possessing 20% of Class A shares. Furthermore, Charles Chao and Bonnie Yi Zhang, the CEO and CFO of Weibo respectively, serve on TuSimple’s board of directors.

Potential Divestment

The filing indicates that if the U.S. government determines Sun Dream’s investment constitutes a threat to national security, the investor could be compelled to divest its stake in TuSimple.

Other Chinese Autonomous Vehicle Companies

Several other Chinese autonomous driving companies, including WeRide.ai, Pony.ai, and AutoX, maintain research facilities in California. They have also obtained the necessary regulatory approvals for testing within the U.S.

However, most of these companies do not currently appear to have concrete commercialization plans for the American market.

TuSimple's Focus on the U.S. Market

TuSimple, conversely, is presently concentrating its efforts on the U.S., operating 50 of its Level 4 semi-trucks within the country and an additional 20 in China.

An executive from a Chinese autonomous vehicle startup, requesting anonymity, stated to TechCrunch that “Their substantial Chinese background could impede their U.S.-centric strategy.”

TuSimple is currently unable to provide comment due to the pre-IPO quiet period.

Precedent with ByteDance and TikTok

This type of obstacle is not unprecedented for technology firms with Chinese affiliations seeking access to the U.S. market. A notable example is CFIUS’s national security investigation into ByteDance’s $1 billion acquisition of Musical.ly, which was subsequently integrated into TikTok.

As of December of last year, Reuters reported that the agency was still “engaging with ByteDance” to facilitate a divestment.

Supply Chain Challenges

While self-driving companies can divest to mitigate their Chinese associations, achieving short-term supply chain independence proves more complex given the industry’s interconnected global nature, as an executive from Momenta observed.