US President Joe Biden has warned that Chinese-made automobiles could be used to steal sensitive data on US citizens and critical infrastructure.
The White House announced in a statement that it would conduct an investigation into the impact of “connected vehicles” containing Chinese technology on US national security.
“I have directed my Commerce Secretary to investigate connected vehicles with technology from countries of concern and take steps to address the risks,” Biden stressed.
The release points out that most cars are now connected to other systems, including phones, navigation systems, critical infrastructure and the companies that made them.
Thus, “connected vehicles from China could collect sensitive data on our citizens and our infrastructure and send this data back to the People’s Republic of China”.
Additionally, the White House warned that these vehicles could be remotely accessed or disabled on American roads.
China is pursuing unfair practices to dominate the future of the auto market, including flooding the U.S. market with its vehicles.
“I will not let that happen,” Biden stressed.
“China imposes restrictions on American and other foreign automobiles operating in China. Why should Chinese connected vehicles be able to circulate in our country without guarantees? he added.
The announcement follows a decree signed by Biden on February 28, which aims to prevent the sale of personal and financial data to countries of concern, including China.
Western countries have issued a series of warnings about the threat posed by Chinese hackers so far in 2024. In February, Five Eyes the agencies have been notified that the Chinese threat group Volt Typhoon has positioned itself in sectors such as communications, energy, transportation, water and wastewater.