US senators seek permanent Chinese car ban
Washington: Two US senators pushed for action on legislation permanently barring Chinese connected vehicles and key components from the American market as President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington.
Republican Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio and Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan took to the Senate floor on Thursday to seek consideration of the Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026reported.
The legislation would prohibit the importation, manufacture and sale of connected vehicles associated with China and other countries designated as foreign adversaries.
It would also cover vehicle software, communications systems and certain hardware linked to companies based in or controlled by those countries.
The bill has already been approved unanimously by the Senate Commerce Committee. It has not yet received final approval from the full Senate or House.
The lawmakers’ push came while Trump and Xi were holding talks a few blocks away at the White House. Trade, tariffs, technology and national security were among the issues surrounding the summit.
The Trump administration already imposes a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles. The Commerce Department has also restricted Chinese vehicles containing certain connectivity software, according to CQ.
Together, those measures have largely kept few Chinese brands outside the US passenger-vehicle market.
The proposed legislation would place restrictions in federal law and make them harder for a future administration to reverse or waive without congressional scrutiny.
Its supporters argue that modern vehicles collect large amounts of personal, operational and location data. They also say vehicles connected to outside networks could potentially be accessed or manipulated remotely.
The bill’s findings say connected vehicles transmit “vast amounts of sensitive data, including geolocation, operational, and personal information” and are “capable of being remotely accessed and controlled”.
It lists surveillance, espionage, cyber intrusion and disruption of critical infrastructure among the potential risks associated with foreign control of vehicle systems.
The legislation would prohibit covered software linked to a foreign adversary in connected vehicles manufactured for model year 2027 or later.
Restrictions involving certain connectivity hardware would take effect in 2030. Hardware imported for repairs or warranty work on older vehicles would qualify for an exception.
The measure would establish a process allowing the commerce secretary to authorise otherwise restricted products after assessing their security risks. Congress would receive notification of such decisions.
The bill would also require manufacturers and importers to certify that vehicles and components comply with the law. Violations could carry civil penalties of at least $1.5 million or five times the value of the transaction.
Testing and evaluation by eligible US entities would be exempt under specified conditions. The proposal also says a product would not be classified as foreign-controlled solely because of the citizenship of workers employed by an otherwise eligible company.
Trump has previously indicated that he could accept Chinese companies manufacturing vehicles in the United States. That possibility has caused concern among lawmakers, labour organisations and US automobile manufacturers worried about state-supported Chinese competition.
China has become the world’s leading producer and exporter of electric vehicles. Its manufacturers have expanded rapidly in Asia, Europe and other international markets but remain largely excluded from the United States.