Concerned about national security, the US is preparing to ban the use of Chinese software in autonomous connected cars.

Reuters news agency cited two sources as saying that on September 23, the US Commerce Department will announce a proposal to ban the use of Chinese software and hardware in connected and autonomous vehicles on US roads due to national security concerns.

The US Secretary of Commerce has said that the risks from Chinese software and hardware in connected vehicles in the US are very worrying. (Source: Reuters)

The administration of US President Joe Biden has expressed deep concerns about Chinese companies collecting data on drivers and infrastructure in the US, as well as the possibility of internet-connected vehicles and navigation systems being manipulated by foreign powers.

The new rules would ban the import and sale of vehicles with Chinese-origin software or hardware for communications or autonomous driving systems, according to sources, a further expansion of US restrictions on Chinese vehicles, software and components.

The Biden administration recently decided to impose steep tariffs on imports from China, including a 100% tariff on electric vehicles and new tax increases on electric vehicle batteries and critical minerals.

In May, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said the risks posed by Chinese software and hardware in connected vehicles in the US were “very worrying”, saying that if millions of cars on the road were to have their software disabled, the consequences could be catastrophic.

In February, President Biden ordered an investigation into whether car imports from China pose a national security threat through connected car technology, and whether the software and hardware should be banned from all vehicles on American roads.

Mr. Biden stressed that China's policy could flood the U.S. market with the Asian giant's vehicles, posing a risk to national security, and he pledged not to let that happen during his term.

The Commerce Department plans to seek public comment for 30 days before making a final decision on the new proposal. Nearly all new vehicles on U.S. roads are now connected cars, equipped with hardware that allows them to access the internet and share data with devices inside and outside the car.

The Commerce Department has proposed a software ban that would take effect on 2027 model year vehicles, and a hardware ban that would apply to 2029 or 2030 model year vehicles. These bans would apply to vehicles with certain Bluetooth, satellite and wireless features, as well as autonomous vehicles that can operate without a driver.

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers expressed concern last November about Chinese auto and technology companies collecting and processing sensitive data while testing autonomous vehicles in the US. The ban would also apply to several other countries.

A trade group representing major automakers, including General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai and others, has warned that changing the hardware and software will take time.

Automakers note that these systems require extensive engineering, testing and validation prior to production and generally cannot be easily replaced with systems or components from other suppliers.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/lo-ngai-an-ninh-quoc-gia-my-chuan-bi-cam-su-dung-phan-mem-trung-quoc-trong-cac-xe-ket-noi-tu-dong-287271.html