The Biden administration is proposing a ban on hardware and software developed in China for internet-connected cars.
The initiative is driven by concerns over national security, according to The New York Times, and limiting the ability of Chinese intelligence agencies to monitor vehicle movements and use that information to map critical infrastructure like electric grids. Although Chinese-made software isn’t common in American cars, the proposal is seen as a “targeted, proactive” move, said U.S. commerce secretary Gina Raimondo.
Speaking to reporters on September 22, national security advisor Jake Sullivan noted that vehicle software technology is capable collecting large amounts of data on drivers, and is constantly connected to personal devices such as mobile phones, and even other cars. Those capabilities bring “new vulnerabilities and threats,” Sullivan added.
The U.S. Commerce Department will next offer a 30-day public comment period for the rule before it’s finalized. The proposed ban would then begin for vehicles with Chinese-made software in model year 2027, with a ban on hardware used for vehicle connectivity systems kicking in three years later. It would apply to cars, trucks and buses, as well as vehicles used for farming and mining operations.