Shanghai-based Hesai Technology is expanding its US operations despite its inclusion on a Pentagon blacklist of alleged Chinese military companies. The manufacturer currently controls approximately one-third of the global automotive lidar market.
Hesai sensors power autonomous vehicles for US firms including Amazon’s Zoox, Waabi, and Kodiak. The Department of Defense’s 1260H designation blocks Pentagon contracts but does not prohibit commercial sales.
The company was first blacklisted in January 2024 and is now challenging the label in court. Hesai maintains its products are strictly for civilian use and pose no cybersecurity risk.