The redesigned-for-2024 Lincoln Nautilus has become a commercial and critical success, but as Ford Authority reported last fall, the U.S. Commerce Department has proposed prohibiting key Chinese software and hardware in connected vehicles on American roads, which would effectively ban all of those types of vehicles from the U.S. – including the Lincoln Nautilus, which is produced solely in China at the Changan Ford Hangzhou Assembly plant and imported into the U.S. However, it seems as if it’s possible the Lincoln Nautilus may wind up surviving this potential ban.
According to Reuters, the U.S. Commerce Department is making some changes to its proposed rule – which is expected to be finalized this week – that could exclude vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds – but more notably for companies like Ford and General Motors – also vehicles with Chinese software that was developed before these new rules take effect, so long as it’s not being maintained by a Chinese firm. That means automakers could continue to import some Chinese-produced vehicles into the U.S., according to officials.
This same report does note that it seems unlikely a request from the Ford-backed lobby group Alliance for Automotive Innovation for a one-year extension for automakers to meet hardware requirements will be granted, however. As Ford Authority previously reported, the proposed rule calls for Chinese-based software and hardware to be removed from vehicles sold in the U.S. by the 2027 and 2029 model years, respectively. AAI stated that “there’s actually very little technology – hardware or software – in today’s connected vehicle supply chain that enters the U.S. from China. But this rule will require auto manufacturers in some cases to find alternate suppliers. You can’t just flip a switch and change the world’s most complex supply chain overnight. It takes time.”
In addition to that point, China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao has also expressed “serious concerns” about potential restrictions for Chinese connected vehicles, while some automakers have called for an extension to the proposed deadline. Regardless, that technology could soon be banned from vehicles sold in the U.S., as well as Canada, potentially.
Comments
Why is it necessary to speculate just a few days before we know for sure? Just like all the sites weighing in on what Trump may or may not do. JUST WAIT.
What it WILL DO is expose the place of the vehicle’s manufacture, which most buyers aren’t aware of, just like the Envision, and tank sales for that reason alone.
There’s more than enough capacity to build this in the United States
This made in China vehicle should have a 100% tariff slapped on it and Failure Farley should be fired,