The above regulation, also related to Russian technology, was introduced when outgoing US President Joe Biden ended efforts to increase restrictions on China.
US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo spoke at an event in Washington DC on October 29, 2024
“Cars today are not just steel on wheels, they are computers,” US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo emphasized. She noted that modern vehicles contain cameras and other technology connected to the internet.
“This is a targeted approach to ensure we do not put Chinese and Russian-made technology on America’s roads,” Ms. Raimondo emphasized.
The US Department of Commerce said the new regulations currently only apply to passenger vehicles under 4.5 tons. However, the US Department of Commerce plans to issue separate regulations targeting the technology in commercial vehicles such as trucks and buses “in the near future”.
Currently, Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has a facility in the US state of California that produces buses and other vehicles.
Director of the US National Economic Council Lael Brainard said that “China is trying to dominate the future of the auto industry”. She also said that connected vehicles containing software and hardware systems linked to foreign adversaries could lead to misuse of sensitive data or interference.
According to the latest regulations announced on January 14, even if passenger cars are manufactured in the US, manufacturers with “sufficiently large connections” with China or Russia are not allowed to sell new vehicles with hardware and software for external connectivity and autonomous driving. This sales ban is effective for the 2027 model year.
The new restriction also prohibits the import of hardware and software related to Beijing or Moscow. Software restrictions take effect for the 2027 model year, while hardware controls take effect for the 2030 model year, according to AFP.
There is currently no information on the reaction of China and Russia to the above new regulations.
