"Surveillance packages on wheels": US lawmakers push to ban Chinese vehicles over espionage fears

Washington, DC [US], May 10 : A bipartisan group of American lawmakers is preparing legislation aimed at blocking Chinese-linked vehicles and components from entering the US market, citing national security threats and concerns over data surveillance. The move comes amid growing alarm in Washington over Beijing's expanding role in the global electric vehicle industry, as reported by The Epoch Times.

According to The Epoch Times, Republican Congressman John Moolenaar, who chairs the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, joined Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell to announce plans for a bipartisan bill targeting Chinese-connected automobiles.

In a joint statement, the lawmakers stated that modern vehicles function as sophisticated data-gathering systems capable of tracking movements, locations, passengers, and critical infrastructure in real time. They argued that allowing Chinese-made software or hardware in American vehicles could expose the country to espionage and cyber threats.

The proposed House legislation follows increasing warnings from US intelligence and security officials. Earlier this year, the US Department of Commerce finalised regulations restricting transactions involving connected vehicles equipped with certain Chinese hardware and software technologies.

Security concerns intensified after former FBI Director Christopher Wray told lawmakers in 2024 that Chinese state-backed hacking groups, including Volt Typhoon, had infiltrated critical American infrastructure networks. He cautioned that such groups could potentially disrupt transportation and other essential systems during a geopolitical crisis.

The House proposal mirrors the Senate's Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026, introduced by Senators Bernie Moreno and Elissa Slotkin. Slotkin described Chinese vehicles as "surveillance packages on wheels" and stressed the need for legal protections to shield both national security and the domestic auto industry, as cited by The Epoch Times.

Meanwhile, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation endorsed the initiative, arguing that Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers benefit from massive state support and operate as instruments of Beijing's economic strategy. China provided more than USD 230 billion in subsidies and financial assistance to its EV sector between 2009 and 2023, as reported by The Epoch Times.

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