The US authorities has launched an investigation into the nationwide security risks posed by foreign-made vehicles with web connectivity—particularly these made in China. At a briefing on Wednesday, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo even raised the specter of Beijing remotely triggering mayhem on US highways.

“Imagine if there were thousands or hundreds of thousands of Chinese connected vehicles on American roads that could be immediately and simultaneously disabled by somebody in Beijing,” Raimondo mentioned.

The new US authorities fears about Chinese autos come as automakers comparable to BYD and Geely have develop into main international gamers in automobile manufacturing—and notably electric vehicles. They additionally construct on proof that as cars have become increasingly computerized, and linked to the web, autos have develop into weak to new safety threats. Hackers have shown it is possible to disable internet-connected vehicles from afar. Automated driving techniques and web connectivity have added cameras and different sensors to autos, and may make them mobile repositories of personal information.

Raimondo mentioned that the Bureau of Industry and Security, a division of the Commerce Department that handles nationwide safety points associated to superior expertise, would discover how sensor-laden, internet-connected autos might be used to commit espionage, gather information on US residents, or commit sabotage on US roads.

The alarm sounded about Chinese autos provides to a current historical past of US authorities concern about China’s expertise ambitions underneath President Joe Biden and underneath President Trump earlier than him. Trump imposed sanctions on Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei and different 5G firms engaged on 5G wi-fi expertise and targeted Chinese AI firms with comparable controls. The Biden administration has aggressively restricted the flow of advanced chips into China. Concerns over delicate US information passing again to China has led to a TikTok ban for many federal authorities gadgets.

The transfer comes as US automakers miss targets for EV sales, and as Chinese automakers comparable to BYD tout report international gross sales and construct new factories. Many Chinese producers are producing automobiles, and notably EVs, extra effectively and profitably than their US counterparts, with billions in assistance from the central authorities.

In January, BYD overtook Tesla because the world’s main producer of EVs, in accordance with figures launched by the 2 firms. Last 12 months, China turned the world’s biggest car exporter.

“China is determined to dominate the future of the auto market, including by using unfair practices,” reads an announcement from Biden launched by the White House. “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.”

Rising Power

China’s automakers are anticipated to quickly start a direct assault on the US market. Recent news reports recommend that Chinese automakers together with BYD, MG, and Chery plan to fabricate their lower-cost electrical autos in Mexico, enabling them to reap the benefits of North American commerce treaties and evade US tariffs of 27.5 % on imported Chinese autos.

The Alliance for American Manufacturing, a commerce group, earlier this month called China a “significant” menace to US automobile producers. It urged US policymakers to “adopt a proactive and evolving strategy to stymie the CCP’s penetration.”