US expected to propose barring Chinese software in autonomous vehicles
WASHINGTON听–听The US Commerce Department is听别虫辫别肠迟别诲听to听辫谤辞辫辞蝉别听产补谤谤颈苍驳听颁丑颈苍别蝉别听蝉辞蹿迟飞补谤别听in autonomo耻蝉听and connected听惫别丑颈肠濒别蝉听in the coming weeks, according to sources briefed on the matter.
The Biden administration聽辫濒补苍蝉听to issue聽a听辫谤辞辫辞蝉别诲听rule that would bar聽颁丑颈苍别蝉别听蝉辞蹿迟飞补谤别听in听惫别丑颈肠濒别蝉听in the United States with Level 3 automation and above, which would have the effect of also banning testing on US roads of autonomo耻蝉听惫别丑颈肠濒别蝉听produced by聽颁丑颈苍别蝉别听companies.
The administration,聽in a previously unreported decision,聽also plans to听辫谤辞辫辞蝉别听产补谤谤颈苍驳听惫别丑颈肠濒别蝉听with听颁丑颈苍别蝉别-developed advanced wireless communications abilities modules from U.S. roads, the sources added.
Under the proposal, automakers and suppliers would need to verify that none of their connected vehicle or advanced autonomo耻蝉听vehicle聽蝉辞蹿迟飞补谤别听was developed in a “foreign entity of concern” like China, the sources said.
The Commerce Department sai诲听聽to issue听辫谤辞辫辞蝉别d rules on connected听惫别丑颈肠濒别蝉听in August and听别虫辫别肠迟别诲听to impose limits on some聽蝉辞蹿迟飞补谤别听made in China and other countries deemed adversaries.
Asked for comment, a Commerce Department spokesperson said on Sunday that the department “is concerned about the national security risks associated with connected technologies in connected听惫别丑颈肠濒别蝉.”
The department’s Bureau of Industry and Security will issue a听辫谤辞辫辞蝉别d rule that “will foc耻蝉听on specific systems of concern within the vehicle. Industry will also have a chance to review that听辫谤辞辫辞蝉别d rule and submit comments.”
The聽颁丑颈苍别蝉别听Embassy in Washington did not immediately comment but the聽颁丑颈苍别蝉别听foreign ministry has previously urged the United States “to respect the laws of the market economy and principles of fair competition.” It argues聽颁丑颈苍别蝉别听cars are popular globally because they had emerged out of fierce market competition and are technologically innovative.
On Wednesday, the White House and State Department hosted a meeting with allies and industry leaders to “jointly address the national security risks associated with connected听惫别丑颈肠濒别蝉,” the department said. Sources said officials disclosed details of the administration’s planned rule.
The meeting included officials from the United States, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Germany, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Spain, and the United Kingdom who “exchanged views on the data and cybersecurity risks associated with connected听惫别丑颈肠濒别蝉听and certain components.”
Also known as conditional driving automation, Level 3 involves technology that allows drivers to engage in activities behind the wheel, such as watching movies or听耻蝉ing smartphones, but only under some limited conditions.
In November, a聽听补产辞耻迟聽颁丑颈苍别蝉别听companies collecting and handling sensitive data while testing autonomo耻蝉听惫别丑颈肠濒别蝉听in the United States and asked questions of 10 major companies including Baidu, Nio, WeRide, Didi Chuxing, Xpeng, Inceptio, Pony.ai, AutoX, Deeproute.ai and Qcraft.
The letters said in the 12 months ended November 2022 that聽颁丑颈苍别蝉别听AV companies test drove more than 450,000 miles in California. In July 2023, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg聽听补产辞耻迟聽颁丑颈苍别蝉别听autonomo耻蝉听vehicle companies in the United States.
The administration is worried about connected听惫别丑颈肠濒别蝉听耻蝉ing the driver monitoring system to listen or record occupants or take control of the vehicle itself.
“The national security risks are quite significant,” Commerce Secretary聽. “We decided to take action because this is really serio耻蝉听stuff.” – Reuters
