The US Department of Trade plans to put forward a proposal in the coming weeks to ban the use of Chinese software in autonomous vehicles. This was reported by the informational Reuters.
The proposed law will affect cars with the third level of automation and higher. It will prohibit the use of not only Chinese software but also the advanced level wireless communication systems developed in China. What is a third level automation in a car? This is when the car is able to independently control all critical systems for security in certain conditions. However, the driver must constantly be ready to intervene in case his intervention is required.
The new rules will also limit the testing of drones created by Chinese companies on American roads. According to the proposal, car manufacturers and suppliers will have to guarantee that no part of the software for their “smart” or autonomous cars has been developed in China.
The representative of the Ministry of Trade explained to Reuters that the proposed ban was caused by concerns about national security.
The representative of the Chinese Embassy reacted to this statement, saying, “Only cooperation and division of labor can bring mutual benefits, and honest competition – to ensure technological progress.” He called on the United States to “strictly follow the market principles and rules of international trade, creating equal conditions for companies of all countries.” The diplomat emphasized that China “will firmly defend its legal rights and interests.”
The decision on the ban appeared after long doubts regarding the safety of using technologies with Chinese support in unmanned vehicles. At the beginning of this year, the Ministry of Trade began an investigation, which was supposed to determine whether the White House will introduce new restrictions on imports.
According to the authorities, cars from China “collect large volumes of confidential data about their drivers and passengers, as well as use cameras and sensors to record detailed information about the US infrastructure.”