U.S. Commerce Department Eyes Ban on Smart Vehicles Powered by Chinese and Russian Tech Over National Security Concerns

The U.S. Commerce Department is poised to take a step that reaches far beyond trade deals or industry regulations—it’s about the very way we move through the world. The proposed ban? No more smart vehicles running on Chinese or Russian technology. Not because of a trade war, but because of something far deeper, something unsettling—national security at its core. After months of digging, U.S. officials have uncovered layers of risk hidden in the code and circuits of these cars. And it’s not just about data being stolen—it’s the shadow of something darker, the notion that one day, in some distant control room, a button could be pressed, and roads all over the country could freeze up as vehicles become weapons of chaos.

New: @CommerceGov is proposing a rule to ban the U.S. sale or import of cars w/ Russian or Chinese hardware or software (& sale or import of those components themselves). https://t.co/qOoAUwzoC7

Software ban takes effect for 2027 cars. Hardware ban takes effect for 2030 cars. pic.twitter.com/gx25h5inFS

— Eric Geller (@ericgeller) September 23, 2024

If this gets green light, this ban must impact a system in two targeted ways—first targeting software by 2027, then moving on to hardware by 2030. The cars already on the streets won’t be touched, but the implications are far-reaching. It’s more than just a mechanical tweak—it’s a declaration of desired plan, a warning that the battle for technological dominance is in full swing. And in this battle, China has been pushing hard, making inroads in Europe, sending ripples across the global market.

But it’s not just one-sided. Even in China, alarms are sounding. Tesla cars are already being kept out of certain government zones, not because of trade disputes, but out of fear—fear of what’s being collected, and where it’s going. It’s a dance of distrust, played out on both sides, with high stakes for everyone involved.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo’s words hit with a kind of cold clarity: “It’s not about economics—it’s about protecting Americans.” She doesn’t talk in numbers or market shares. She talks about vulnerability—the kind that comes from letting someone else know where you live, where your children go to school, where your life unfolds, quietly, day after day.

Trump is set to address his vow to ban Chinese nationals from buying U.S. farmland or owning telecommunications, energy, technology, and medical supply companies if he retakes the White House, at his event Monday in rural Pennsylvania. pic.twitter.com/PMbUKLxWUQ

— Jessica 🍂🇺🇲 (@mohamma89882363) September 23, 2024

At home, though, the Biden administration is trying best to extend the auto industry. Michigan, that heartland of American cars, is at the center of new efforts to support workers. A billion-dollar push to keep smaller auto suppliers in the absolute run, paired with fresh training programs to make sure the workforce stays ready as the industry shifts to electric vehicles, shows where the priorities lie.

JUST IN: 🇺🇸 Commerce Department proposes national security ban on certain vehicle hardware and software from China and Russia

Reports seeing ample evidence of pre-positioning malware on critical infrastructure for the purpose of disruption and sabotage pic.twitter.com/CqzfGF7RDw

— LuxAlgo (@LuxAlgo) September 23, 2024

But all of this—the bans, the policies, the new programs—tells a story of larger policy. It’s not just about cars or workers. It’s about the widening conflict over who controls the future. What we once thought of as just a means to get from one place to another is now a frontline in a much larger, unseen struggle—one where data, security, and the very fabric of modern life are all in the contest of that game.

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