The U.S. Commerce Department is expected to propose a ban on the use of Chinese software in self-driving and connected cars in the coming weeks, people familiar with the matter said, Reuters reported. The Biden administration plans to issue a proposed rule that would prohibit the use of Chinese software on self-driving cars in the United States at the L3 level and above, as well as prohibit the testing of self-driving cars made by Chinese companies on U.S. roads. The U.S. government also plans to propose a ban on vehicles equipped with Chinese-developed modules with advanced wireless communication capabilities on U.S. roads, the sources added. Under the proposal, automakers and parts suppliers would need to verify with the US that their connected cars or advanced self-driving car software were not developed in a “foreign entity of concern” such as China.
The U.S. Commerce Department said last month that it planned to issue proposed rules on connected cars in August, which are expected to impose restrictions on some software made in China and other countries seen as rivals. Asked for comment, a Commerce spokesman said on Aug. 4 that the department was “concerned that the connected technologies in connected cars may pose a national security risk. The Bureau of Industry and Security, a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce, will issue a proposed rule that “will focus on specific systems within vehicles.” The U.S. auto industry will also have the opportunity to review the proposed rule and submit comments. Recently, the White House and the State Department held a meeting with allies and industry leaders to discuss “jointly addressing the national security risks associated with connected vehicles.” The meeting included officials from the U.S., Australia, Canada, the European Union, Germany, India, Japan, South Korea, Spain, and the U.K., who “exchanged views on the data and cybersecurity risks associated with connected vehicles and certain components.”
Last November, a group of U.S. lawmakers had warned about Chinese companies collecting and processing sensitive data while testing self-driving cars in the U.S. and questioned 10 major companies – Baidu, Azure, Wenyuan Zhixing, Dripping, Xiaopeng, Yingcher Technology, Pony Intelligence, AutoX, Yuanrong Qixing, and Lightboat Zhihang. In the 12 months ending November 2022, Chinese self-driving car companies test drove more than 450,000 miles in California, the letter said. In response, the U.S. Department of Transportation is concerned that Chinese self-driving cars tested in the U.S. have national security risk concerns, arguing that connected vehicles use driver monitoring systems to listen to or record passengers or control the vehicle itself. “This poses a considerable national security risk,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in May, “so we decided to take action.”
The Chinese embassy in Washington had no immediate comment on the reports, but China’s foreign ministry has previously urged the U.S. to “respect the laws of market economy and the principle of fair competition.” Chinese cars are popular globally because they stand out in a competitive market and are technologically innovative.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)