The Biden administration has ordered an investigation into the national security risks posed by Chinese-made "smart cars" that can potentially gather sensitive information about American drivers, with concerns about China using advanced technology in electric and connected vehicles to track and spy on individuals. The probe could lead to new regulations aimed at safeguarding Americans' data, and the Commerce Department will seek input from the auto industry and the public on potential risks and mitigation steps. This action is part of broader efforts to protect personal data from foreign adversaries and prevent Chinese vehicles from flooding the U.S. market, with concerns about cyber risks and espionage.
The Biden administration has initiated an investigation into Chinese-made "smart cars" over potential national security risks, citing concerns about data collection and the possibility of remote manipulation by foreign adversaries. The probe could lead to new regulations aimed at preventing China from using advanced technology in electric and connected vehicles to track drivers and their personal information. The Commerce Department will seek input from the auto industry and the public to assess the risks and potential steps to mitigate them, with a focus on vehicles from China, Russia, and Iran. This action is part of broader efforts to protect Americans' personal data from foreign cyber threats, and comes amid concerns about the growing influence of Chinese automakers in the global market.
The Biden administration has announced an investigation into the national security risks posed by Chinese-made "smart cars" that can potentially gather sensitive information about American drivers. Concerns include the potential for China to use advanced technology in electric cars and connected vehicles to track drivers and their personal information, as well as the risk of remote manipulation by bad actors. The investigation, led by the Commerce Department, aims to gather information from the auto industry and the public to develop potential regulations to mitigate these risks. This action comes amid worries that Chinese automakers may seek to enter the U.S. market despite existing tariffs, and follows similar concerns in Europe regarding rising imports from China.
US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo expressed concern over reports of a chip breakthrough by Huawei Technologies, emphasizing the need for additional tools and resources to enforce export-control regulations. Raimondo mentioned a stalled legislative proposal and an alternative framework to mitigate risk in the tech supply chain. She declined to comment on the progress of the Commerce Department's probe into a new Huawei smartphone powered by an advanced 7-nanometer chip. Raimondo faced political pressure to tighten controls on China's technological advancement while the administration seeks to improve ties with Beijing.
Senate Banking Chairman Sherrod Brown and Rep. Maxine Waters have asked the Treasury Department to determine whether the merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, backed by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, poses national security risks. The merger has drawn criticism from families of the victims of the Sept. 11 terror attacks and high-profile PGA Tour players. The new post-merger golf entity would be owned entirely by Saudi Arabia's wealth fund.
The EU commissioner for internal market, Thierry Breton, has called on more member states to remove "high-risk" suppliers such as Huawei and ZTE from their mobile internet infrastructure upgrades, citing national security risks. Only 10 EU countries have restricted or banned Huawei from their 5G networks to date. The US and its allies, including the UK and Australia, have barred Huawei from operating in their 5G networks, alleging that Huawei and ZTE technology could be used by Beijing for espionage.
Senior US government officials have warned of serious national security risks if the Section 702 statute of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) is not renewed. The statute allows US agencies to conduct warrantless searches of information of non-Americans living outside the US, which includes communications carried out via US telecom or email providers. The officials declined to share specifics of cases in which the program had been useful, but said that the database is critical to countering threats against the US. Critics, including rights groups and some members of Congress, are calling for substantial reforms and requiring a warrant for searches of Americans' information on the database.
