US Shoots Itself in the Foot? Will Ban Sale of Cars with Parts or Software from China

USA took a new step towards ban the import and sale of Chinese cars or using technology developed by the Asian giant. The White House announced Monday that it and the Commerce Department have submitted a regulatory proposal that is already making waves.

The rules in question are aimed at blocking “certain connected vehicle systems designed, developed, manufactured, or provided by entities with sufficient connections to the People’s Republic of China and Russia.” Essentially, the United States wants to ban the import and sale of all vehicles that use Chinese software and hardware.

The US administration is focusing on connected vehicles that allow them to interact with the outside world. This means that if the rules are approved, connected cars Wi-Fi, Cellular, Satellite, Bluetooth And automated driving systems Chinese developments cannot be imported and sold within the country.

The United States considers connected cars from Chinese or Russian manufacturers to be a “particularly acute threat.” The White House and Commerce Department say the technologies in question could be used for espionage and sabotage that pose a threat to national security.

Specifically, they point out that vehicle navigation systems and cameras can record and transmit sensitive information about both users and U.S. infrastructure. And they even claim that cars can be controlled or disabled remotely cause accidents or traffic jams.

It’s worth clarifying that the US ban on Chinese cars or those that use their technology will not be applied immediately. Financial Times The White House will produce a final draft of the rules after 30 days of public comment. Joe Biden’s idea is to have the rules published before the end of his presidency.

US ban on Chinese cars won’t take effect immediately

The measure is aimed at putting into effect a blocking of Chinese software on cars. model 2027. But in terms of hardware, it will be from 2030 modelsIn the event that the units do not indicate the models corresponding to the year of production, the veto right will be applied from January 1, 2029.

It should be borne in mind that the ban on sales and imports will apply not only to cars coming from the Chinese market, but also to components of vehicle connectivity systems (Wi-Fi modules, Bluetooth, etc.) produced by American manufacturers. enter from the Asian giant.

The Commerce Department says North American companies that make small-scale automobiles may be exempted from the ban to avoid “unnecessary disruption.” However, it is not specified what requirements they will have to meet. In any case, the decision is already raising questions about how widespread its real impact may be in the North American auto industry.

This is not the first radical measure the US has taken to prevent Chinese cars from entering its market. Last May, it announced an increase in tariffs on electric cars. will increase from 25% to 100 %. In addition, tariffs on lithium-ion batteries for electric and non-electric vehicles will be more than three times higher than the current ones.

Gina RaimondoThe US Commerce Secretary said the situation in Europe, where Chinese electric vehicles have a strong presence, was a warning. Financial Times“We know the Chinese strategy. They subsidize, so we are not going to wait until our roads are full [sus] vehicles, and the risk is extremely significant,” he noted.