• The US government has announced that cars from China will soon be investigated over security concerns. 
• It is seemingly expanding its entity list of Chinese technology companies to now include car makers.
• The connected vehicles are said to “collect” vast amounts of data on their drivers.

The United States government has its eyes set on China once again, with its focus now turning to connected cars manufactured in the region. 

According to an official statement on the matter, as connected cars collect so much data on their drivers, those built in China pose a threat to privacy and security. 

“President Biden is taking unprecedented action to protect Americans from the national security risks posed by connected vehicles from countries of concern, including the People’s Republic of China. At the President’s direction, the Department of Commerce will investigate the national security risks from connected vehicles that incorporate technology from countries of concern, including China, and consider regulations to address those risks” the office of the US president explained. 

“Autos increasingly leverage advanced technologies to enable navigational tools, provide driver assist features, and reduce operating costs and carbon emissions through fast and efficient charging. These autos are constantly connecting with personal devices, other cars, U.S. infrastructure, and their original manufacturer,” it added.

While we must admit that the US government makes a fair point regarding just how much access to personal data a connected car may require in order to get all of its features up and running, the reason behind the newly announced scrutiny is more tit for tat, than a legitimate concern grounded in evidence.

“China has imposed wide-ranging restrictions on American autos and other foreign vehicles operating on their roads. Today, President Biden is directing his Administration to take unprecedented action to address the national security risks from connected autos that incorporate technology from China and other countries of concern,” the statement continued.

“This is the first action taken by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) under Executive Orders focused on protecting domestic information and communications technology and services supply chains from national security threats,” it concluded.

Whether other nations will be taking an equally suspect outlook on connected cars from China remains to be seen, but as has been the case with the entity list and sanctions placed on selling equipment to the likes of Huawei in recent years, we would be surprised to see the UK and other European countries adopt a similar approach.

This latest development therefore makes the chances of the likes of Huawei being removed from the entity list even more unlikely.