The US President Joe Biden has ordered an investigation from his government into Chinese-manufactured connected vehicles – including electric vehicles (EV) – to evaluate the security risks they pose.
The inquiry was reportedly proposed by the Biden administration due to fears over the security of Chinese-made vehicles and their ability to gather sensitive information about the Americans driving them.
The US government also disclosed further anxieties that the information could be sent back to China and enable its government to remotely access the vehicles.
In a statement on Thursday, President Biden said:
“China is determined to dominate the future of the auto market, including by using unfair practices. […] China’s policies could flood our market with its vehicles, posing risks to our national security. I’m not going to let that happen on my watch.”
In December, the White House explored the possibility of raising tariffs on imported Chinese EVs to the US.
Under a plan announced Thursday, the Commerce Department is launching an investigation into national security risks posed by connected vehicles from China and other countries considered hostile to the United States.
The claims made by President Biden have not been proven and the investigation is ongoing. Read the full statement by Biden here.
