The Biden administration is once again peddling security concerns as it plans to propose a ban on Chinese-made software in connected and autonomous vehicles, reported Bloomberg.
Proposed phased-in regulation would reportedly affect driver assist and autonomous vehicle systems, software that tracks vehicles by using mapping and satellite location, hardware for vehicle communication systems like the V2X systems.
The looming ban is driven by security concerns, as Washington has maintained that cars equipped with devices connecting them to the internet or cloud services are vulnerable to hacking attacks.
The public would be given 30 days to respond to the planned prohibitions, which would be enforced by the US Commerce Department. The ban on software could be made effective in the 2027 model year, with the prohibitions on hardware to take effect in January 2029.
The new spiral of US trade restrictions targeting China would come on the heels of the tariff hikes on Chinese imports introduced on Friday. The levies include a 100% duty on electric vehicles as well as new hikes on EV batteries and key minerals.
Earlier in the year, Washington slapped a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles. The May levy was driven by US claims that China is engaged in practices enabled by its purported intentional and state-directed policy of oversupply.
China, a leader in electric vehicles and components for smart cars, has insisted it respects both the security of its foreign customers and the principles of fair competition.