On Monday, September 23, the US Department of Commerce proposed to impose a ban on Chinese and Russian vehicle technology, citing national security concerns. The ban will restrict the sale of ‘connected’ vehicles equipped with Chinese softwares and hardwares in the US.
Amid rising tensions between the nations, US authorities have accused both Chinese and Russian intelligence of hacking and manipulating internet-connected vehicles, leading to accidents and road blockages. Moreover, these systems have been accused of collecting personal data and information of the users and posing a significant threat to the security of the drivers in the US.
Before the imposition of the ban, an investigation was ordered in February by US President Joe Biden regarding the national security risks of the Chinese technology used in the vehicles. Several national security risks were found during the probe, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in a conference call.
Gina, while explaining the risk, added, ‘In extreme situations, a foreign adversary could shut down or take control of all their vehicles operating in the United States, all at the same time, causing crashes and blocking roads.’
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China calls it “discriminatory”
In a quick response to this proposal, China has called it “discriminatory actions” against Chinese companies.
Lin Jian, Chinese Foreign ministry spokesman opposing it, said, “China urged the US to respect market principles and provide an open, fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises”, according to reports.
He added, “China will resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.
The commerce department will also provide a 30-day public comment period before finalizing the regulation by January 20th, 2025. Also, the ban would be implemented in a phased manner, for software technology, the ban would be from “model year” 2027 and for hardware technology for “model year” 2030, as per reports.
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