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United States President Joe Biden is spearheading an investigation into the data security risks that could accompany Chinese electric cars.
The investigation will look at technology in the cars that could potentially track U.S. drivers, Knewz.com has learned.
In launching the investigation, Biden said, “China is determined to dominate the future of the auto market, including by using unfair practices. China’s policies could flood our market with its vehicles, posing risks to our national security. I’m not going to let that happen on my watch.”
According to the Department of Commerce, the administration’s investigation is directed at “connected cars” (with internet access) made in China, that could potentially track American drivers and relay that information back to Beijing.
“It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to think of how foreign governments with access to connected vehicles could pose a serious risk to both our national security and the personal privacy of U.S. citizens,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.
The White House noted, “New vulnerabilities and threats could arise with connected autos if a foreign government gained access to these vehicles’ systems or data. Connected vehicles collect large amounts of sensitive data on their drivers and passengers; regularly use their cameras and sensors to record detailed information on U.S. infrastructure; interact directly with critical infrastructure; and can be piloted or disabled remotely.”
While this initial investigation is focused on China, the New York Times reported that administration officials say this is seen as a first step in a plan to halt the sale of low-cost Chinese electric vehicles, whether they’re made in China or assembled by Chinese companies in countries like Mexico.
They also said American car manufacturers that sold vehicles to customers in China were “essentially forced” by Chinese officials to use Chinese software in their cars.
The Times also reported that the investigation could result in new American restrictions on vehicles that depend on software from China, and that the decision to undertake the investigation comes on the heels of conversations last fall between the United Automobile Workers (UAW) and the administration about the restrictions the UAW faced in selling to China.
The conversations happened following the settlement of the UAW strike from mid-September to the end of October, where Biden joined the picket line.
It’s an issue that is bipartisan. On February 28, Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced the "Protecting American Autoworkers from China Act." The bill would raise tariffs on vehicles imported from China and halt Chinese attempts to circumnavigate U.S. trade laws.
“If Joe Biden wants to support American autoworkers, he should start by protecting them from the existential threat posed by China,” Hawley said. “We must put American workers first, bring jobs back to American soil, and reject radical climate mandates that make China rich and America poor.”
However, TheStreet reported that Tesla’s Chinese competitor, BYD, is not trying to enter the U.S. market. In a February 26 interview with Yahoo Finance, BYD Executive Vice President and CEO of BYD Americas Stella Li said,"We're not planning to come to the U.S. It’ an interesting market but it's very complicated if you're talking about EV, and then I think the US market is in a little bit slowdown on electrification and there are a lot of confusing, also very complicated, so we're saying, 'No... we don't have plans to come to the US.’ "