China and the USA have recognized a new potential danger of connected vehicles: their data collection and dependence on the respective manufacturer. However, the threat to national security is only discussed with regard to vehicles from the other country. While China has already issued driving bans on Teslas, the White House is still looking for answers. At the same time, the head of the regulatory authority FCC is sounding the alarm because cars have become a tool for stalkers.
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“China has every intention of dominating the future of the car market, even using unfair methods,” fears US President Biden. Chinese cars are currently rare in the USA because Biden's predecessor Donald Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff. However, according to media reports, Chinese manufacturers are planning to build factories in Mexico. From there the cars could easily be imported as part of the free trade agreement with the USA and Canada.
A flood of subsidized cars from Chinese operators “is a risk to our national security. I will not allow that under my watch,” promises the US President. “Most vehicles today are 'connected' – they're like smartphones on wheels. These cars are connected to our phones, to navigation systems, to critical infrastructure, and to the companies that made (the cars).”
“Connected vehicles from China could collect sensitive data about our citizens and our infrastructure, and send that data back to the People's Republic of China. These vehicles could be remotely interrogated or decommissioned,” Biden continued Thursday. And if millions of cars in the USA suddenly stopped working, that would be unpopular. But you don't have to wait for the Chinese for examples: a Polish manufacturer is said to have shut down trains when they were being repaired by third parties.
Ministry of Economic Affairs opens proceedings
Biden has instructed his Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to investigate and respond to the risks posed by connected vehicles using technology “from countries of concern.” The Minister of Economic Affairs promptly launched a public consultation. “China restricts American cars and cars from other foreign manufacturers in China,” emphasizes Biden. “Why should connected cars from China be allowed to operate in our country without safety precautions?”
In fact, there are more and more driving bans for Teslas in China; The reason is the cameras built into Teslas and the online connection. Initially they were banned from military facilities, but now some venues, prisons, sporting events, airports and other public facilities are also restricted, as Nikkei Asia has reported. The parallel to the iPhone bans for employees of state companies and authorities cannot be ignored. In both cases, security serves as an argument.
US Secretary of Commerce Raimondo also launched a consultation; It can then issue new regulations based on the results. The legal basis is the state of emergency declared by then President Trump in 2019 (Executive Order 13873), which initially only banned telecommunications transactions with companies from “opposing” states. Biden has now expanded this order several times, most recently on Wednesday, to restrict data sales to Russia and China.
Special danger for women
Regardless of the origin of the connected vehicles, the head of the telecom regulator FCC (Federal Communications Commission), Jessica Rosenworcel, is concerned: She has noticed that connected cars are increasingly being used in violent relationships. Perpetrators use the networked functions to stalk, harass or even threaten vehicle users. In the majority of cases, the perpetrator is a man and the victim is a woman.
“A car is a critical lifeline, giving survivors the opportunity to escape their abusers, gain independence and seek help,” Rosenworcel said Wednesday. “Survivors of domestic violence should not have to choose between giving up their vehicles and feeling safe .” She therefore wants to ensure “that car manufacturers and mobile operators understand the full impact of their connectivity in new vehicles.” The well-known stalkerware fighter Eva Galperin, who is responsible for IT security at EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation), also joins in on this note:
Assuming Rosenworcel gets a majority from her fellow commissioners, the FCC will consult the public. The questions will revolve around what connected services are available in vehicles, how frequently they are activated, what service providers can do to prevent abuse, and whether the authority should issue regulations to protect victims of abuse.
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