US Commerce Secretary warns of potential ban on Chinese smart cars

In February, the Joe Biden administration announced an investigation into China’s “connected vehicles” (think smart cars, which are equipped with sensors and connected to the Internet) and whether they could pose a threat to national security. These vehicles can “collect a great deal of sensitive data about their drivers and passengers,” the White House said at the time. And they can “use their cameras and sensors to capture detailed information about basic structure of the US.”

Commerce Minister Gina Raimondo told Reuters on Wednesday that all data from the survey has been received since the end of April, but is still being processed. “Then we will do what we want to do,” he said. “We could do real action. That means there are no China-bound vehicles in the United States, or restrictions. “

Earlier, Raimondo had told a hearing in the US House of Representatives that she was concerned about China-linked vehicles that could “collect a lot of data about Americans, who they are, what they say in their cars, where they are.” they go, they drive. behavior”. She said the United States “needs to take the threat much more seriously.”

Dam against tidal waves

Raimondo did not say when a decision would be made. The Biden administration has long criticized the rise of cars from China. Although very few Chinese-made light vehicles are still imported into the US, the president has repeatedly said he will act against the “tidal wave” of cars Chinese. Like the EU, it is considering raising import taxes.