Over the past few years, China has increased its contributions to the automobile industry by introducing electric vehicles. The influx has also attracted concerns from the U.S. watchdogs as the Biden-Harris Administration announced a new investigation of Chinese automobiles today.
On February 21, 2024, the U.S. made efforts to restrict electric cars flooding the U.S. markets. Today, Chinese connected vehicles are being subjected to scrutiny by U.S. government bodies.
The Chinese automobiles are linked with the users' smartphones, navigation tools, important infrastructure, and their manufacturers. So, President Joe Biden suggests that these devices could send back intelligence to China.
Thus, the Biden administration has appointed the U.S. Department of Commerce to investigate and regulate the vehicles that use technology from countries of concern, particularly China.
The press release also highlights that since these devices are linked to the companies who made them, they could be remotely accessed or disabled threatening the physical safety of users too. The press release also says:
“New vulnerabilities and threats could arise with connected autos if a foreign government gained access to these vehicles’ systems or data. Connected vehicles collect large amounts of sensitive data on their drivers and passengers; regularly use their cameras and sensors to record detailed information on U.S. infrastructure; interact directly with critical infrastructure; and can be piloted or disabled remotely. Connected autos that rely on technology and data systems from countries of concern, including the People’s Republic of China, could be exploited in ways that threaten national security.”
President Joe Biden argued that China imposes restrictions on U.S. automobiles so regulations must be placed on Chinese automobiles in the U.S. too.
Following orders, the Department of Commerce has passed the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) that would monitor the security and data safety risks posed by the technology incorporated in connected vehicles being used in the U.S.
The press release emphasizes that this is the first time the Executive Orders have urged the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to take action on protecting “domestic information and communications technology and services supply chains from national security threats.”
The department will also provide solutions to curb these threats and help establish regulatory policies for technologies used in vehicles from countries of concern.
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