The U.S. Commerce Department is launching an investigation into whether imported vehicles from China pose a national security risk and whether restrictions could be imposed due to concerns about internet-connected automotive technology.
The White House stated that the Commerce Department's investigation was necessary because vehicles imported from China collect large amounts of sensitive data about drivers and passengers, and frequently use cameras and sensors to record details about U.S. infrastructure.
The U.S. has launched an investigation into national security risks, particularly those posed by vehicles imported from China. (Photo: Sjoerd van der Wal / Getty)
Furthermore, these vehicles can be controlled or disabled remotely, and the need also extends to autonomous vehicles imported from China. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo also raised the grim prospect of Beijing potentially causing remote disruption on American highways. Raimondo stated, “Imagine if thousands or hundreds of thousands of internet-connected vehicles imported from China were on American highways and could be instantly and simultaneously disabled by someone in Beijing.”
U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement: “China’s policies could flood our markets through imports from them, and it could jeopardize our national security. Therefore, I will not allow that to happen under my supervision.”
White House officials said it was too early to take action, and no decision had been made to ban or restrict imports of vehicles from China.
According to White House officials, the U.S. government has broad legal authority and can act with greater impact if deemed necessary. President Biden called this effort unprecedented in ensuring that cars on American roads imported from countries like China do not undermine U.S. national security.
Following this news, the Automotive Innovation Alliance, a trade group representing General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen, and other major automakers, said the U.S. Commerce Department should work closely with the automotive industry to determine the scope of any specific actions taken in the future.
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