Biden administration proposes ban on Chinese and Russian software in U.S. cars

The Biden administration is proposing a ban on Chinese- and Russian-made hardware and software in internet-connected vehicles in the United States, citing national security concerns.

The proposed ban announced by the White House on Monday is intended to safeguard cars that can communicate externally, providing a route for U.S. adversaries to access and collect date and remotely manipulate cars on American roads.

Connected vehicles are a particular potential threat, according to the Commerce Department, which in February launched a probe into the possible risk posed by Chinese-manufactured vehicles, noting the large amount of information cars take in through their sensors and cameras.

"Cars today have cameras, microphones, GPS tracking and other technologies connected to the internet. 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," U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in a statement.

Outlining possible scenarios in a call with reporters on Sunday, Raimondo said a foreign adversary could shut down or take simultaneous control of multiple vehicles, causing crashes and blocking roads.

"This is not about trade or economic advantage," Raimondo said. "This is a strictly national security action. The good news is right now, we don't have many Chinese or Russian cars on our road." 

President Biden signed an executive order in February intended to strengthen the country's ability to respond to maritime cybersecurity threats amid worries that China might attempt to cripple crucial infrastructure systems in the U.S. 

Along with congressional moves to make TikTok cut its ties with its Chinese owners, the White House initiative is part of a larger bid to seal what are seen as vulnerable spots for potential foreign interference. 

Earlier this year, the president announced 100% tariffs on Chinese electric cars, saying they are unfairly subsidized in China.

While there is minimal Chinese and Russian software deployed in the U.S, the issue is more complicated for hardware. That's why Commerce officials said the prohibitions on the software would take effect for the 2027 model year and the prohibitions on hardware would take effect for the model year of 2030, or Jan. 1, 2029, for units without a model year.

—The Associated Press contributed to this report.