US authorities are trying to ban Chinese social network TikTok in their jurisdiction on amid concerns about the collection of information on its citizens. They also try to stop all such methods of possible “espionage”. For this reason, a ban on the operation in the United States of vehicles using autopilot systems developed in China is being prepared.
Informed sources cited by Reuters claim that the US Department of Commerce will come up with the relevant initiatives very soon - in the coming weeks. If the proposed amendments to the US legislation are adopted, then the operation of vehicles with software of autonomy level three and higher, developed in China, will be prohibited in the country.
Since Chinese software is mainly used for Chinese cars, such a ban would be another barrier to Chinese electric vehicles entering the US market, in addition to increasing tariffs. A related initiative is considering a proposal to ban the use of car systems based on Chinese-made data communications, which could be cars of other brands but with Chinese multimedia, for example.
Essentially, this could limit access to US roads for cars that are not affiliated with Chinese brands and Chinese software developers. American regulators have expressed concern about the ability of modern cars to monitor citizens using on-board cameras, as well as eavesdrop on their conversations while inside the passenger compartment.
Given that many Chinese cars equipped with modern assistants have a video camera facing the interior, then such a threat is purely technically feasible. US officials are also concerned about the possibility of intercepting the controls of such vehicles through remote access to on-board electronics. It is expected that representatives of the branch will have the opportunity to participate in public discussions on the subject.
Last Friday, a meeting was held with representatives of various US government departments where they discussed a plan to introduce restrictions on the use of software of Chinese origin in vehicles operated in the United States. Representatives of Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, South Korea, Spain and Great Britain took part in the event and expressed their opinions on this issue.