Modern cars are packed with internet-connected widgets, many of them containing Chinese technology. Now, the car industry is scrambling to root out that tech ahead of a looming deadline, a test case for America’s ability to decouple from Chinese supply chains.
New U.S. rules will soon ban Chinese software in vehicle systems that connect to the cloud, part of an effort to prevent cameras, microphones and GPS tracking in cars from being exploited by foreign adversaries.
The move is “one of the most consequential and complex auto regulations in decades,” according to Hilary Cain, head of policy at trade group the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. “It requires a deep examination of supply chains and aggressive compliance timelines.”
Carmakers will need to attest to the U.S. government that, as of March 17, core elements of their products don’t contain code that was written in China or by a Chinese company. The rule also covers software for advanced autonomous driving and will be extended to connectivity hardware starting in 2029. Connected cars made by Chinese or China-controlled companies are also banned, wherever their software comes from.
There should be an option to turn it all off for those who don’t want to be spied on though.
Also, features like remote start could be implemented to function over a local network rather than needing to connect to the internet at all.
All spying needs to be owned by the person who owns the car. GM or however might have data, but it needs to not be accessible by them except by my agreement. Do I want my dealer to know when I need an oil change - maybe (depends on if I trust my dealer), or maybe I want my independent mechanic to know this, or maybe I change my own oil and want only me to know.