In 2023, China shipped 5.26 million cars abroad — the country overtook Japan to become the largest car exporter in the world.
The Biden Administration initiated an investigation on cars made in China and other countries of «concern to determine whether they pose a threat. The White House notes that the cars are «constantly connected to drivers’ phones» and, thanks to driver assistance systems, can receive «information about other vehicles and the American infrastructure in general».
«Cars collect a large amount of sensitive data about their drivers and passengers; regularly use cameras and sensors to record detailed information about USA infrastructure; directly interact with critical infrastructure; and can be controlled remotely», — the statement said.
The Ministry of Commerce will lead the investigation.
«We need to understand how much information these cars’ technology can receive and whether connected vehicles can be remotely manipulated. We are gathering information to determine whether to take action,» said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
According to The Washington Post, cars made in China are not yet very common on USA roads (In particular, due to the 27.5% duty), but are becoming commonplace in European markets. According to the China Passenger Car Association, in 2023 the country will sold 5.26 million cars abroad — and thus overtook Japan to become the world’s largest auto exporter.
USA officials have said it is too early to determine what impact the investigation will have on Tesla, the USA company that manufactures electric vehicles in China. Almost a third of the electric vehicles exported from China last year — Tesla models, produced at its plant in Shanghai, notes the Financial Times.
Meanwhile, in China, Tesla owners are already facing restrictions, including a ban on parking in some military compounds in Beijing due to concerns about built-in cameras. Some local military personnel and employees of important state institutions and enterprises are prohibited from driving Tesla to work.
Earlier, the United States closed access to its market for Chinese telecommunications companies, citing data concerns, and called Huawei and ZTE threats.This week, Biden issued an executive order aimed at a ban on the sale of personal data of Americans countries such as Russia and China.