Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 31
Senators Seek Permanent Ban on Connected Cars From 4 U.S. Adversaries
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 31

Senators Seek Permanent Ban on Connected Cars From 4 U.S. Adversaries

2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 31

Summary

  • Bernie Moreno and Elissa Slotkin have proposed a bipartisan bill to permanently bar internet-connected vehicles from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from the U.S. market.
  • The push would turn current barriers into law: a 100% tariff already makes Chinese vehicle imports uneconomic, and Commerce Department restrictions on connected Chinese vehicles are due to take effect in 2027.
  • Backers frame the measure as both a national-security safeguard and protection for the U.S. auto industry, arguing low-cost, software-heavy Chinese models could otherwise gain a major foothold.
  • Polestar, owned by Geely, is already set to stop selling vehicles in the United States in 2027, underscoring how existing policy has largely shut Chinese connected cars out before the bill becomes law.

Insights

With a 2027 ban looming, will global joint ventures become the secret backdoor for Chinese auto tech to enter American driveways?
Are national security rules for connected cars shielding American drivers from cyber threats, or just from affordable luxury vehicles?
If restructuring data systems saved Volvo, why did Polestar choose to abandon the US market instead of adapting its software?