The Biden administration wants to ban Chinese software in cars over national security concerns, the Commerce Department announced Monday.
The Bureau of Industry and Security, part of the Ministry of Commerce, is expected to publish regulations that “focus on the hardware and software” of the software integrated into cars and developed in China.
“Today’s cars have cameras, microphones, GPS tracking, and other technologies that are connected to the Internet. It doesn’t take much imagination to understand how a foreign adversary with access to this information could pose a serious risk to both our national security and the privacy of American citizens,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “To address these national security concerns, the Department of Commerce is taking targeted, proactive steps to keep PRC and Russian technology off American roads.”
The software could be abused by malicious Chinese actors, in some cases “to enable remote connectivity and autonomous driving capabilities in connected vehicles,” the Commerce Department said.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo speaks during the Democratic National Convention on August 19, 2024 in Chicago.
Paul Sancya/AP
The proposed rule would apply to all wheeled vehicles, such as cars, trucks and buses, but would exclude vehicles not used on public roads, such as agricultural or mining vehicles. The rule would take effect in 2027 models and be fully implemented in 2030 models.
The rule also prohibits technology associated with the People’s Republic of China or Russia from being sold in the U.S. connected vehicle market that has hardware or software embedded in it, even if the vehicle is made in the United States.
This is the latest step in the Biden administration’s economic measures against China.
Earlier this year, the Biden administration raised tariffs on steel and aluminum, semiconductors and electric vehicles.
