The U.S. government has decided to phase out the sale of cars that use Chinese or Russian software or parts for autonomous driving or communication functions.
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced a regulation on the 23rd (local time) that bans the import and sale of vehicles equipped with specific hardware or software linked to China or Russia in the Vehicle Connection System (VCS) or Autonomous Driving System (ADS).
VCS is a system in which vehicles exchange information with the outside through Bluetooth, cellular, satellite, Wi-Fi, etc., and ADS is a system that allows vehicles to operate on their own without a driver.
The regulations are aimed at preventing a situation that poses a major security risk as U.S. sales of connected vehicles equipped with technology from countries hostile to the U.S., such as China and Russia, increase.
Connected vehicles are so-called “smart cars” that exchange information with their surroundings through wireless networks and provide functions such as navigation, autonomous driving, and driver assistance systems, and most vehicles released these days are equipped with these functions.
“In extreme situations, the enemy can simultaneously turn off or control all domestic vehicles operating in the United States, causing accidents and blocking roads,” Commerce Secretary Gina Lemondo said at a briefing.
“The good news is that there are not many Chinese or Russian vehicles on the roads in the United States right now,” Secretary Lemondo said. “We will not wait until our roads are filled with their cars and the risk becomes very high.”
The regulation also prohibits manufacturers with ties to China or Russia from selling connected vehicles using hardware or software for VCS or ADS in the U.S. The ban also applies to vehicles made in the U.S.
Although the regulations target China and Russia, all countries that make connected vehicles with the software and hardware of these two countries and export them to the United States will be affected.
The Ministry of Commerce accepted the request from the automobile industry and decided to apply the ban immediately, but decided to apply the software from the 2027 model and the hardware from the 2030 model.
The Ministry of Commerce plans to finalize the final regulations after collecting opinions for 30 days.
JULIE KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
