US seeks to ban Chinese & Russian technology in self-driving cars over security concerns

The United States has sought to ban Chinese and Russian technology in self-driving cars over security concerns.

The US Department of Commerce (DoC) on Monday proposed a rule banning self-driving vehicles having certain software and hardware made in China and Russia. The proposed rule is meant for both imported vehicles and those manufactured in the United States.

The DoC said the ban targets China- and Russia-made Vehicle Connectivity System (VCS) and Automated Driving System (ADS).

The proposed rule is the latest in the long line of punitive measures that the Joe Biden administration of the United States has levelled on China in recent years. Most recently, the Biden administration slapped 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) and also hit tariffs on Chinese imports of metals and renewable energy goods. In recent years, the administration has also sought to block China’s access to advanced semiconductor technology.

‘Chinese & Russian tech presents undue risk’

The proposed ban comes after the DoC’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) determined that “Certain technologies originating from China and Russia present an undue risk to both US critical infrastructure and those who use connected vehicles”, said the DoC.

The proposed ban would apply to all wheeled on-road vehicles such as cars, trucks, and buses, but would exclude vehicles not used on public roads like agricultural or mining vehicles, said the DoC.

Malicious access to VCS and ADS of self-driving vehicles could allow adversaries to access and collect most sensitive data and remotely manipulate cars on American roads, said the DoC.

The VCS refers to the set of systems that enable the vehicle to communicate externally, such as the telematics control units, Bluetooth, cellular, satellite, and Wi-Fi. The ADS refers to components that enable a vehicle to run without a driver controlling it.

US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said that it “doesn’t take much imagination to understand how a foreign adversary with access to this information could pose a serious risk to US national security”.

Raimondo said, “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 US citizens. To address these national security concerns, the Commerce Department is taking targeted, proactive steps to keep PRC and Russian-manufactured technologies off American roads.”

Risk of data access & remote control

A senior administration official was quoted as saying by the Associated Press that it was clear from terms of service contracts included with the technology that data from autonomous vehicles ends up in China.

The Biden administration has long raised concerns about collection of data by China on US drivers and infrastructure. It has also been concerned about potential manipulation of vehicles by Chinese and Russian based actors if they retain control of the data or the systems remotely.

There is already precedence of vehicles being remotely controlled in case of a conflict. In 2022, US agricultural equipment manufacturer reportedly blocked millions of worth of equipment remotely which was stolen by Russian occupiers from Ukraine.