The United States warns that cars made in China can be disabled at the touch of a button. The cars could cause enormous chaos on American highways. However, experts suspect that there are mainly economic interests behind the warning.
“Imagine if thousands or hundreds of thousands of China-linked cars on American roads were immediately and simultaneously disabled by someone in Beijing,” said US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. She therefore wants to investigate how vehicles packed with sensors and connected to the Internet can be used to commit espionage, collect data about American citizens, or commit sabotage on American roads.
But while hackers have shown that it is possible to remotely disable internet-connected vehicles or transmit data from cameras, Raimondo’s claim should also – and perhaps especially – be seen as another attack on the advancing Chinese car -industry. The claim of total chaos due to the simultaneous stopping of cars sounds quite ridiculous. After all, towing these cars away will probably be possible in a few hours and possibly take a whole day, but what would China gain from that?
(Text continues below photo)
Chinese make: a Zeekr. © Zeekr
The real reason is that car manufacturers such as BYD and Geely have become important global players in car production – especially when it comes to electric vehicles. They even have their own freight ships with which they deliver cars worldwide. American automakers, on the other hand, are not meeting their electric vehicle sales targets. Many Chinese manufacturers are producing cars, especially electric cars, more efficiently and profitably than their American counterparts, with billions in support from the central government.
China is advancing in the US
In addition, Chinese automakers, including BYD, MG and Chery, plan to produce their cheaper electric vehicles in Mexico. This allows them to take advantage of North American trade agreements and avoid import tariffs of 27.5 percent on imported Chinese cars. “China is determined to dominate the future of the automotive market, including through unfair practices,” US President Biden said. “I won’t let that happen under my watch.” His argument that this could pose risks to national security appears to be a bit of a stretch.
The US investigations can also be seen as a response to China’s previous restrictions on US company vehicles equipped with cameras. For example, Teslas are reportedly not allowed to drive in military and government-affiliated areas, including meeting rooms and exhibition centers. In any case, the investigation threatens to further increase tension between the US and China. If the White House’s action leads to trade restrictions, there could be countermeasures from Beijing.
WATCH ALSO. Chinese-Swedish car company Polestar is securing much-needed financing
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss anything from the stars.
Yes, I want free unlimited access
2024-03-03 10:17:25
#fears #China #remotely #shut #electric #cars #masse
