Congress is probing Chinese automakers over concerns that electric cars sold in the United States could be used by the Chinese government for “nefarious purposes” such as data collection, spying on American citizens through in-car cameras, and remotely hijacking vehicles.
Senators Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.) and Gary Peters (D., Mich.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, in a letter on Wednesday asked Chinese automakers to disclose any ties they have to the Chinese government.
“In the hands of our adversaries—[Chinese-manufactured electric vehicles] could be used to map our critical infrastructure and roads, track the movements of U.S. citizens, provide access to the electric grid, and generally surveil Americans,” Blackburn and Peters wrote.
“If Chinese-made EVs proliferate in the U.S., the [Chinese Communist Party] could theoretically control or disable vehicles in the United States at will.”
Chinese automakers have become one of the leading global vehicle exporters, and lawmakers have raised concerns about the national security implications for the United States.
“As the potential national security threat posed by connected vehicles becomes more acute, we believe you must make clear the depth and nature of your ties to the CCP, as well as your future plans to potentially import vehicles into the U.S. market,” the senators wrote.
The letter was sent to Geely Holding, Great Wall Motors Group, SAIC Motor, Chery Automobile, FAW Group, Dongfeng Motor, BYD, and the GAC Group.
The letter comes as China has expanded its foothold in the electric vehicle market and as the Biden administration and Democratic governors have pushed for EV mandates in the auto industry. The Biden administration, through EPA regulations, has set a goal to transition the majority of American cars to electric vehicles by 2032.
Blackburn and Peters asked the Chinese automakers to provide details on their “corporate ownership structure,” whether the information collected from vehicles is “subject to the People’s Republic of China National Intelligence Law,” and the “nature of CCP access to or the total number of requests you have received from any agency or government authority in China for access to information collected.”
“Given the Chinese Communist Party’s control of industry in China, we are deeply concerned that Chinese automakers are beholden to the regime and that the technology used in Chinese-made automobiles could be leveraged by the CCP for nefarious purposes,” the senators wrote. “The data security of both American citizens and the critical infrastructure of our nation must be prioritized.”
This article was originally published at freebeacon.com
