US to consider banning Chinese software in autonomous cars – report
06/08/2024 00:00
A proposal to ban Chinese software in autonomous and connected cars is expected to be put forward to the US Government in the coming weeks, due to security concerns.
The US Government may soon consider banning Chinese software in vehicles with Level 3 automation and above, meaning some autonomous vehicles produced by Chinese car makers could be stopped from testing on US roads.
According to a report from news outlet Reuters, in the coming weeks the US Commerce Department is expected to recommend vehicles with driverless technology – specifically using software developed in China – to be barred from entry due to security concerns.
While the ban is aimed at cars with Level 3 automation – connected technology which allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel and their eyes off the road – the recommendation is believed to also extend to vehicles with Chinese-developed advanced wireless communications abilities.
If the proposal were sanctioned, car manufacturers and suppliers would need to verify that none of their connected vehicles or advanced autonomous software had been developed in China, or any other "foreign entity of concern".
Despite Level 3 autonomy predicted to be some years off, the proposal is one step back from recent calls to ban Chinese cars in the US entirely.
MORE: Young US car buyers want to buy Chinese electric cars, despite 'privacy risk'
By banning software specifically developed in China, it could allow some Chinese-manufactured cars – such as those made by Tesla, Ford, and General Motors – to continue to be sold in North America.
A spokesperson for the US Commerce Department said that it is "concerned about the national security risks associated with connected technologies in connected vehicles".
The Chinese Embassy in Washington DC has not responded to Reuter’s report at this time.
Last week, The White House and US State Department met with global industry leaders to "jointly address the national security risks associated with connected vehicles".
The meeting included officials from the United States, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Germany, India, Japan, the 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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This isn't the first time the US Commerce Department has raised concerns about vehicle software made by "countries of concern".
In February 2024,Drive reported on a US Government initiative designed to limit the amount of personal data gathered by cars produced in China, based on growing concerns that authorities there are "building detailed profiles on government employees and citizens", and using the data to build strategic advantages in business and technology.
In March 2024, the US Government ordered an investigation as to whether cars from China pose a threat to US national security.
In turn, China has banned Tesla vehicles from Chinese military bases and government buildings over data privacy concerns, despite Chinese-market models being produced locally.
Sources claim that this ban has recently been extended to cultural centres and roads through the city of Chengdu, where a lot of Chinese military technology is developed, though this hasn't been confirmed.
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