US to Ban Import and Sale of Connected Cars with Chinese-Made Software and Hardware

Photo: Yonhap news

The US government has announced a complete ban on the import and domestic sale of connected cars that use Chinese-made software and hardware. The US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) unveiled a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), which prohibits the import and sale of connected vehicles that use hardware or software linked to China or Russia.

The new rules state that if a vehicle’s Vehicle Connectivity System (VCS) uses hardware or software from China or Russia, or if its Autonomous Driving System (ADS) uses software from these countries, the vehicle will be banned from being imported into or sold in the US. The VCS is a series of systems that enable a vehicle to communicate with external sources, including communication control devices, Bluetooth, cellular, satellite, and Wi-Fi.

Even if a vehicle is manufactured in the US, it may still be banned if it uses components from companies connected to China or Russia. However, these regulations will not take effect immediately. The ban on software will apply to 2027 models and beyond, while the hardware ban will take effect starting with 2030 models. Hardware without a model year will be prohibited from January 1, 2029.

The Department of Commerce will finalize the regulations after further gathering input from stakeholders. Connected vehicles, which provide services like real-time internet navigation, are seen as potential national security threats by the US if they involve Chinese or Russian-made products.

By Kim Jisun, Reporter

stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr