By Hasan Muhammad

 

 

In yet another targeted escalation, the United States is preparing to intensify its crackdown on China's new energy vehicle industry, this time under the guise of "national security." Reports suggest that the U.S. Commerce Department is considering a sweeping ban on Chinese software and hardware in autonomous vehicles. Such a move would not only undermine China's technological advancements but also disrupt global supply chains, which are deeply intertwined. 

 

The phased prohibitions, set to begin with software in 2027 and hardware by 2029, aim to exclude vehicles featuring certain Bluetooth, satellite, and wireless capabilities, as well as fully autonomous models. These arbitrary restrictions are designed to slow China's progress in the new energy vehicle market, pushing back against its inevitable dominance. 

 

China's dominance in the global electric vehicle (EV) and battery industries is indisputable, fueled by a massive domestic market, advanced technology, and unparalleled production capabilities. With Chinese companies responsible for two-thirds of the world's EV production and over three-quarters of its batteries, China's lead is solid. 

 

Yet, instead of fostering collaborative solutions in the green transport revolution, the U.S. has opted for protectionism, undermining fair trade. By sidelining opportunities for mutual benefit, the U.S. seems more focused on erecting barriers than embracing the free market it once championed. Worse still, the U.S. has resorted to slander, manufacturing fears around Chinese software and hardware in connected vehicles. These baseless claims of "national security" risks regarding data-sharing technology are designed to sow distrust rather than foster innovation.

 

The U.S. is selling its ban on Chinese software and hardware in autonomous vehicles as a matter of personal security, preying on consumers' fears. By painting modern cars as surveillance devices that track your every move - who you call, where you go, and what you do - the U.S. is pushing a narrative designed to stoke paranoia. “When foreign adversaries build software to make a vehicle, that means it can be used for surveillance, can be remotely controlled, which threatens the privacy and safety of Americans on the road,” argued US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimond. 

 

This is certainly an absurd argument. If such concerns were valid, China should be equally alarmed about American-made being used in the country? Should Beijing fear Washington be flipping a switch to cripple China's infrastructure? The notion is preposterous, yet it's being sold to the American public as fact. This scaremongering does little more than fan the flames of animosity between China and the U.S., undermining any chance of meaningful cooperation. By perpetuating these falsehoods, the U.S. not only damages the prospect of stabilizing global supply chains but also deepens a divide that could destabilize the entire EV industry. 

 

Factually speaking, from a purely technical standpoint, Washington's proposed ban on Chinese automotive software and hardware would be very difficult to implement. The intricate systems in modern cars undergo extensive pre-production engineering and testing, and they can't simply be swapped out for parts from different suppliers without significant disruption.