WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) today introduced her first bill in the U.S. Senate. Slotkin introduced the Connected Vehicle National Security Review Act, a bill to formally establish a national security review process for connected vehicles and connected vehicle components manufactured by companies from China or other countries of concern. The legislation would allow the Department of Commerce to limit or ban the introduction of these vehicles or components from U.S. markets if they pose a threat to national security.
Statement from Slotkin:
“I will lay down on the border to keep Chinese vehicles from entering the U.S. market. This is my first bill I’m introducing in the Senate, and it’s for a reason.
“Chinese vehicles could collect huge amounts of data on America and Americans, which poses a significant national security threat. Americans’ personal data, our infrastructure, Michigan’s auto industry and auto jobs are all at stake.
“Chinese vehicles, which are dirt cheap thanks to state subsidies, could collect full motion video of sensitive sites, 3-D mapping, and geolocation of individual drivers – all of which could be sent back to Beijing. Despite the polarization in Washington right now, protecting U.S. citizens should be nonpartisan, and I look forward to working in a bipartisan fashion to pass this legislation into law.”
The way vehicles are now loaded with information gathering technology, like cameras and other sensors, poses a unique threat presented by vehicles and components from China and other nations. Chinese vehicles have a growing market share in Europe and have now set sights on the North American market.
The Connected Vehicle National Security Review Act would establish in law explicit authorities provided to the U.S. Department of Commerce and other federal agencies under Executive Orders from both the Trump (EO 13873) and Biden (EO 14034) administrations. The bill will provide more explicit statutory authority, strengthening protections against national security risks and ensuring more durable protection against Chinese connected vehicles.
Under the legislation, the Department of Commerce would have the authority to review – and potentially block – any sale, importation, or other transaction that:
- Involves a connected vehicle or component designed, built, or supplied by anyone controlled by or subject to the jurisdiction of a country of concern, including China. This includes connected vehicles and components that are manufactured by Chinese companies operating in third-party countries like Mexico; and
- Presents an undue or unacceptable risk – including the risk of sabotage or subversion of other electronic systems, risk to critical infrastructure, or other unacceptable risk to national security or to the safety of Americans.
Earlier this year, the Biden Administration concluded a Department of Commerce-led investigation into the national security risks of connected vehicles from countries of concern, including China. This resulted in a rule banning the import or sale of Chinese or Russian connected vehicles, as well as connected vehicle hardware and software.
The authorities in this bill would go beyond the limits presented by traditional trade-restriction tools, such as tariffs, which may not prevent countries of concern from establishing production in Mexico or other nations for export to the United States. Under the legislation, any connected vehicle or vehicle component built by a company under the ownership, control or jurisdiction of a country of concern is subject to national security review.
Additionally, Slotkin will be introducing a similar bill that applies to the broader Information and Communications Technology and Services (ICTS) supply chain.
###