Chinese Vehicle Ban Will Focus On AVs, Wireless Tech: Report

August 6, 2024 11:09 am

Amid concerns over unfair competitive practices and potential national security risks, the Biden administration recently decided to raise tariffs on certain Chinese vehicles and raw materials by a large margin, but that isn’t only action the U.S. government is mulling. In fact, the U.S. Commerce Department plans to issue new rules pertaining to connected Chinese vehicles at some point this month, though thus far, it’s been unclear what steps it may take. Now, a new report is shedding a bit of light on that particular topic.

According to Reuters, the U.S. Commerce Department is now expected to propose an outright ban of Chinese software in autonomous and connected vehicles, or more specifically, the use of that type of software in vehicles present on U.S. roads with Level 3 autonomy or above. Additionally, vehicles with advanced wireless communications abilities modules stemming from China would also be barred from American roads, meaning that automakers and suppliers would have to prove that their vehicles don’t utilize this type of software as well.

This news follows a report that autonomous Chinese vehicles have already racked up two million miles of testing on U.S. roads in an industry that lacks oversight as to how that data is collected and used. Equipped with cameras and geospatial mapping technology, those vehicles have collected videos, audio recordings, and location data as part of the mission to develop autonomous driving algorithms, which has been transmitted to data centers in places including China. As Ford Authority recently reported, these new rules aren’t expected to impact some vehicles produced by domestic automakers in China, such as the Lincoln Nautilus, however.

When asked to comment on these new rules, a Commerce Department spokesperson said that the department “is concerned about the national security risks associated with connected technologies in connected vehicles.” As such, the Bureau of Industry and Security will issue a proposed rule that “will focus on specific systems of concern within the vehicle. Industry will also have a chance to review that proposed rule and submit comments.”

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By Brett Foote

Brett's lost track of all the Fords he's owned over the years and how much he's spent modifying them, but his current money pits include an S550 Mustang and 13th gen F-150.