A former software engineer Apple was accused of stealing company secrets related to automotive technology self-drivingthe phantom Apple Car. Weibao Wang worked for Apple from 2016 to 2018 in a team dealing with hardware and software for autonomous systems. A technology that could be used in self-driving cars.
Apple Car, an ex-employee allegedly stole technology
The prosecution alleges that Wang agreed a job offer from a Chinese company that made self-driving cars in November 2017. But he would not inform Apple of his decision until April 2018. Before leaving Apple, Wang would have access to a lot of confidential and protected informationaccording to the US Department of Justice.
When law enforcement officers searched Wang’s home a Mountain View in June 2018, they found “large amounts of data stolen from Apple“. Wang denied having any travel plans, but he allegedly left for China that same night, the indictment says.
According to the allegations, Wang would have stolen or tried to steal six trade secrets from Apple. If he were convicted, he could face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. However, his extradition from China, where he is currently, would be uncertain, reports CNBC.
This It is the third case in which a former Apple employee is accused of stealing related trade secrets to autonomous driving in favor of Chinese entities. Xiaolang Zhang, who worked at Apple at the same time as Wang, admitted last year to stealing technology from Apple’s automotive business. Zhang was stopped at San Jose International Airport in 2018 while trying to catch a flight to China.
In 2019, another former employee was arrested before he was allowed to flee to China. Jizhong Chen allegedly stole self-driving car technology for a Chinese company. Chen pleaded not guilty and the case is pending in federal court.