US flags threat from Chinese vehicles, India likely to follow suit

Many automobile companies that are using products made in China, are selling their car by assembling their vehicles in India or a third country.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

Trouble is likely to arise for Chinese automobile companies who are doing business in India after US President Joe Biden on Friday directed the Department of Commerce to investigate the national security risks from vehicles that incorporate technology from China.

As per the statement by the White House, the government was taking this step after it emerged that new vulnerabilities and threats could arise from these automobiles if a foreign government gained access to these vehicles’ systems or data.

The Biden administration said that these vehicles collect large amounts of sensitive data on their drivers and passengers; regularly use their cameras and sensors to record detailed information on US infrastructure; interact directly with critical infrastructure; and can be piloted or disabled remotely and these could be exploited in ways that threaten national security.

Acting on the direction of Biden, the Department of Commerce issued a notice to investigate national security risks posed by connected vehicles from China.

As part of the investigation, the Commerce Department will gather information from the industry and the public on the nature of these risks, and take potential steps that could be taken to mitigate them.

US officials said that this is the first action taken by the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to protect domestic information and communications technology and services supply chains from national security threats emanating from China, thereby indicating that similar more steps were in the offing.