this post was submitted on 22 Sep 2024
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WASHINGTON, Sept 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Commerce Department is expected on Monday to propose prohibiting Chinese software and hardware in connected and autonomous vehicles on American roads due to national security concerns, two sources told Reuters.

The Biden administration has raised serious concerns about the collection of data by Chinese companies on U.S. drivers and infrastructure as well as the potential foreign manipulation of vehicles connected to the internet and navigation systems.

The proposed regulation would ban the import and sale of vehicles from China with key communications or automated driving system software or hardware, said the two sources, who declined to be identified because the decision had not been publicly disclosed.

The move is a significant escalation in the United States' ongoing restrictions on Chinese vehicles, software and components. Last week, the Biden administration locked in steep tariff hikes on Chinese imports, including a 100% duty on electric vehicles as well as new hikes on EV batteries and key minerals.

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[–] [email protected] 79 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Did we all forget about the study from Mozilla on vehicle data collection?

The fact of the matter is that every single new connected product is collecting data on anyone who uses it. Once the data is collected, it's sold. Once it's on the market, that data is used by every country. China will eventually get data on US drivers regardless of what make they drive, the US government just wants first dibs.
I'm not one of those people who think that China and Russia are some kind of utopic ideal we should all be working towards. The US government is also not a shining beacon of ethics.

[–] feannag 31 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, obviously it's not the point, but I would love a ban on car data collection instead.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Given how much lobbying power the American automotive industry has, I don't think that will ever happen.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

It's weird how they charge you $40k for a car, which almost every American needs just to survive, sell your data in addition to that, and still need to be bailed out by the taxpayer regularly.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

I want them to write an actual KOSA bill that would introduce privacy laws and would prevent this stuff. But nah it's more like Kill Online Safety Act and do nothing about the real problems.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago

They probably would if they weren't being payed by lobby groups not to. Or at least one would hope they would.

[–] [email protected] 43 points 3 months ago

I wish they'd propose a mandate on having the option for disconnected vehicles sold in the US, instead. Privacy-conscious people should not have to resort to finding and disconnecting antennas to reclaim privacy from sketchy data collection. I get that China is the big bad wolf in this discussion, but American companies are just as bad with the data hoarding and erosion of privacy.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

What about israeli tech tho? That's the only civilian tech that I've seen used in terrorist attacks.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago (1 children)
[–] tiddy 5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Is a commercial airliner really civilian?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 26 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Effectively just a ban on Chinese EV's to protect American car companies that can't keep up with them.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Id be fine with it if they repeal the chicken tax

[–] [email protected] 17 points 3 months ago (3 children)

I'm opposed to connected vehicles

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 months ago

No! You don't understand. It's all about the scary CPC spying on you. Wholesome American, European, and Japanese corporations spying on you would never misuse that information.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

That's not even on the table. The only thing Americans care about is the potential for Chinese surveillance. The potential for American surveillance and corporate surveillance (particularly for insurance companies) is considered a huge windfall that they'll fight to continue.

Hell, I can see a future in which your car won't even start without an internet connection.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

I'm opposed to vehicles

[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 months ago

Critical support for the US becoming more insular and cutting itself off from high end technology.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Nice to know Chinese EVs will be the choice for privacy-minded individuals in the US soon. Being cheaper than western brands is a nice big fat cherry on top.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

I think that's nice as long as people can jailbreak them.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 months ago

the optimal approach would be to embrace public transport and let cars go the way of carthorses.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago

This probably can’t be great news for Chinese-owned Volvo.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago (1 children)

How about we ban software in cars in general, beyond basic engine control.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

There's plenty of useful software in cars: collision avoidance systems, automatic braking systems, pedestrian detection systems, etc. Personally I love android auto / carplay for my audio books for my commute.

[–] pastermil 5 points 3 months ago

They definitely got their priorities set straight.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago

How would that even work? There is so much open source software in cars where you have no idea where the programmer is from. Best example https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/XZ_Utils_backdoor

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Nortel's revenge?

[–] [email protected] -4 points 3 months ago (2 children)

This has a fair reason. If war were to break out the Chinese government could, hypothetically, hijack, kill, or break all their cars in the country.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

then don't go to war with china. people talk like the chinese would go attacking for no reason.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

They would make all their EV's explode with their supply chain implanted plastic explosives!