Cars made in China could cause trouble on the US highways, the White House warns

National Security Threats for Chinese-Manufactured EVs: The U.S. Trade-Off Between Beijing and ByteDance

The US government has launched an investigation into the national security risks posed by foreign-made vehicles with internet connectivity—especially those 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.

The Commerce Secretary told reporters on Wednesday that the investigation was underway before Chinese-manufactured vehicles became widespread in the US.

The vice president said that China imposes restrictions on American and foreign autos. “Why should connected vehicles from China be allowed to operate in our country without safeguards?”

While no immediate restrictions are being put in place, administration officials told reporters on Wednesday that the investigation may lead to new regulations that could restrict or prohibit certain vehicle parts from being used in the US. The actions would mirror trade restrictions that were put against the telecom giant due to national security concerns. US policymakers have sought to ban the Chinese shortform video app Tik Tok over similar fears, a move owned by ByteDance.

According to figures released by the two companies, BYD overtookTesla as the world’s leading manufacturer of EVs in January. Last year, China became the world’s biggest car exporter.

Beijing Discrimination Effects on Connected Vehicles in China: a Comment by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)

The Bureau of Industry and Security is part of the Commerce Department and deals with national security issues related to advanced technology.

“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 said.