The ban specifically aims to prohibit imported automobiles with vehicle connectivity systems (VCS) and automated driving systems (ADS) from these countries.

Why ban connected vehicles?

Connected vehicle technologies, which rely on internet connectivity, sensors, and data exchange for enhanced features such as autonomous driving, navigation, and vehicle-to-vehicle communication, pose several security concerns for importing nations, including unauthorized surveillance, espionage, mass vehicle immobilization, cyberattacks, and national security threats.

“As the Department of Commerce has found, vehicles’ increasing connectivity creates opportunities to collect and exploit sensitive information,” the department added. “Certain hardware and software in connected vehicles enable the capture of information about geographic areas or critical infrastructure, and present opportunities for malicious actors to disrupt the operations of infrastructure or the vehicles themselves.”