- Concerns over spying and data theft have increased with more and more China-made cars arriving on US shores.
The United States is considering the possibility of restricting the use of connected-car technology in Chinese vehicles on its roads. In the most serious of scenarios, the country may even entirely ban the use of such technology. At the core of such a possible decision is the fear that Chinese vehicles with connected car technology pose a very serious security risk.
US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo underlined the Joe Biden administration’s serious intentions of examining the potential of Chinese connected cars on American roads posing a security risk. She even told reporters that such vehicles should be banned from being sold and driven in the country. She is calling for the most severe action. “We have to digest all the data and then figure out what action that we want to take,” she told Reuters. “We could take extreme action, which is to say no Chinese connected vehicles in the United States or look for mitigation.”
Two of the biggest Chinese EV players – BYD and Nio – are currently not present in the US market. But among models that may be affected are Geely-owned Volvo ‘s EX30 that is scheduled to go on sale here later this year. There is also the Polestar 2 sedan that is already available for American buyers.
Tit of Tat?
US EV giant Tesla faced similar concerns in China where authorities had asked owners to not park these vehicles near or in sensitive locations. CEO Elon Musk had assured offcials in China that any data picked up by Tesla vehicles in China is stored within China. The company managed to win the right for its cars to access all locations in the country.
Chinese authorities have now reacted sharply to the possibility of any restriction or ban on Chinese brands that have connected-car technology in the US. The US officials have been accused of playing politics within the confines of the automotive industry and that a move in the direction would impact fair competition and unhinge supply chains.
First Published Date: 10 May 2024, 09:05 AM IST