WASHINGTON, Sept 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Commerce Department is expected on Monday to propose prohibiting Chinese software and hardware in connected and autonomous vehicles on American roads due to national security concerns, two sources told Reuters.
The Biden administration has raised serious concerns about the collection of data by Chinese companies on U.S. drivers and infrastructure as well as the potential foreign manipulation of vehicles connected to the internet and navigation systems.
The proposed regulation would ban the import and sale of vehicles from China with key communications or automated driving system software or hardware, said the two sources, who declined to be identified because the decision had not been publicly disclosed.
The move is a significant escalation in the United States’ ongoing restrictions on Chinese vehicles, software and components. Last week, the Biden administration locked in steep tariff hikes on Chinese imports, including a 100% duty on electric vehicles as well as new hikes on EV batteries and key minerals.
Chinese vehicles sold in the US would have the same internet connectivity as a base 2007 Honda Civic. Surveillance by the Chinese would be practically impossible with those limitations. You know who gets a pass on installing everything from internet connected cabin-facing cameras, accelerometers, microphones, and GPS tracking? US-based auto manufacturers!
That’s right, they can and will take all the data they have about you and sell them to data brokers. Enjoy paying a higher insurance premium because you braked too hard one time. Did your shiny new GM’s shitty drivetrain give out on you because their engineering is garbage and you want to claim the warranty for repairs? Too bad, you accelerated a little too hard that one time to get out of the way of a speeding truck and now they claim it was your bad driving that broke it.
I get you hate the CCP, most of us do (except the tankies here but they’re a special case) but until we rein in the lazy and corrupt domestic vehicle industry it’s gonna be a hard fight to get rid of Chinese vehicles encroaching on the market even with 100% tariffs.
yeah sure, we all know the us government blocks trackers of the bloatware built into chinese smartphones, chinese network routers, and all other things. Except they don’t.
I would even consider buying them, then. Honestly. It’s increasingly hard to find such cars.