The U.S. Commerce Department is expected to propose a ban on the use of Chinese software in autonomous and connected cars in the coming weeks. The Biden administration plans to issue a proposed rule banning the use of Chinese software in U.S. Level 3 and above autonomous vehicles, which would also ban the testing of autonomous vehicles produced by Chinese companies on U.S. roads. In a previously unreported decision, the U.S. government also plans to propose a ban on U.S. roads for vehicles equipped with advanced wireless communications capability modules developed in China.
Under the proposal, automakers and suppliers would need to verify that their connected cars or advanced autonomous vehicle software were not developed by "foreign entities of concern" such as China. The U.S. Commerce Department said last month it planned to release proposed rules on connected cars in August and expected to impose restrictions on some software produced by China and other countries seen as adversaries.
Asked about the matter, a U.S. Commerce Department spokesman said on Sunday that the department was "concerned about the national security risks posed by connected vehicle technology." The department's Bureau of Industry and Safety will issue a proposed rule "that will focus on specific systems within vehicles. Industry will also have an opportunity to review the proposed rule and submit comments."
In November, a group of U.S. lawmakers warned Chinese companies about collecting and processing sensitive data when testing self-driving cars in the United States, and raised questions with 10 major companies including Baidu and NIO. WeRide, Didi Chuxing, Xpeng Motors, Inceptio, Pony.ai, AutoX, Deeproute.ai and Qcraft.
The letter states that in the 12 months ending in November 2022, Chinese autonomous vehicle companies have logged more than 450,000 miles of test drives in California. In July 2023, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated that his department had national security concerns about Chinese autonomous vehicle companies in the United States. Governments are concerned that connected cars could use driver monitoring systems to listen or record what passengers say or control the vehicle itself.