U.S. Government Proposes Ban on Automotive Parts, Software From China
The U.S. Department of Commerce has moved to enforce a ban on certain automotive components originating from China, according to Politico.
The proposed rule would apply to hardware and software associated with a Vehicle Connectivity System, as well as software integrated with the Automated Driving System.
With the ADS allowing for autonomous driving, and VCS containing the set of systems a vehicle uses to communicate externally, government officials argue that components of these systems may be manipulated for ulterior motives.
“Cars today have cameras, microphones, GPS tracking, and other technologies connected to the internet,” stated Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. “It doesn’t take much imagination to understand how a foreign adversary with access to this information could pose a serious risk to both our national security and the privacy of U.S. citizens.”
The rule would cover fully-assembled vehicles as well as individual components and software systems. Limitations on vehicle software would take effect beginning model year 2027, with new rules coming into play for vehicle hardware in model year 2030.
For manufacturers in countries like Germany, South Korea, and Japan, this new requirement may force them to find new suppliers for vehicles they export to the U.S.
Of the $480 billion in vehicles and auto parts imported to the U.S. last year, Mexico was the largest supplier, followed by Canada, Japan, South Korea, and Germany. In contrast, China imported a little over $17 billion worth of product, with $14.4 billion of that being attributed to automotive parts.
The new rules would apply to components and software from Russia as well, though it is not a significant supplier of either vehicles nor parts to the U.S.
Critics of the announcement have cited that the rule is too sweeping, such as VDA, the German Automotive Industry Association.
“Not all (information and computer technology) components from countries of concern pose a threat to national security,” wrote the organization.
