The US is planning to impose a blanket ban on the use of Chinese software in autonomous and connected vehicles in the country, people briefed on the matter have said.
The Biden government will propose the ban in coming weeks, and it will apply to all vehicles with Level 3 automation and above.
Level 3 technology, also known as conditional driving automation, allows drivers to engage in activities behind the wheel, such as watching movies or using smartphones, but only under limited conditions.
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Under the proposal, automakers and suppliers would need to verify that none of their connected vehicle or advanced autonomous vehicle software was developed in a “foreign entity of concern” like China, sources said.
US officials will also propose barring vehicles with Chinese-developed advanced wireless communications abilities modules from US roads, they added.
The plan to ban Chinese technology would come as no surprise considering US officials, including Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, have said it presents national security risks due to the data collected by autonomous vehicles.
At an event in January, Raimondo said self-driving electric vehicles (EVs) collect “a huge amount of information about the driver, the location of the vehicle, the surroundings of the vehicle… Do we want all that data going to Beijing?”
The US Commerce Department reiterated those concerns on Sunday when asked about the planned ban by Reuters.
The department’s 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,” a spokesperson said.
Last week, the White House and State Department hosted a meeting with allies and industry leaders to “jointly address the national security risks associated with connected vehicles,” the department said.
Sources said officials disclosed details of the administration’s planned rule at that meeting.
The meeting included officials from the United States, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Germany, India, Japan, South Korea, Spain, and the United Kingdom who “exchanged views on the data and cybersecurity risks associated with connected vehicles and certain components.”
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Ban to hit testing on US roads
If they come into effect, the proposed US rules will effectively also ban the testing of China-made autonomous vehicles on US roads.
Last month, Fortune magazine reported self-driving cars produced by Chinese automakers had travelled nearly 3 million kilometres on US roads since 2017.
These vehicles have been using cameras and lasers to collect detailed data about US roads — with some even storing that data in China, the report noted.
Meanwhile, last year, a group of US lawmakers also said that in the 12 months ended November 2022 Chinese autonomous vehicle (AV) companies, test drove more than 724,205 km in California.
They also raised questions about data handling by 10 major companies – Baidu, Nio, WeRide, Didi, Xpeng, Inceptio, Pony.ai, AutoX, Deeproute.ai and Qcraft.
Responding to US plans to ban the use of China-made tech, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington said electric vehicles are a globalised industry.
“Only division of labour and cooperation can bring mutual benefits, and only fair competition can bring technological progress,” the spokesperson said.
“China urges the US to earnestly abide by market principles and international trade rules, and create a level playing field for companies from all countries. China will firmly defend its lawful rights and interests.”
- Reuters, with additional inputs from Vishakha Saxena
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