The U.S. auto industry has formally asked Congress to permanently ban the sale, import, and manufacturing of Chinese-made connected vehicles (cars connected to the internet) in the U.S. market, citing national security threats and unfair trade practices. As cheap Chinese electric vehicles and smart cars surge worldwide, the request is seen as a call for the U.S. government to erect strong industrial protection barriers and security countermeasures.
On Sept. 3, according to a roundup of major outlets including The Hill, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade group representing all U.S. automakers, sent a letter to four bipartisan congressional leaders demanding the expulsion of Chinese-made cars from the market. John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, sent the letter directly to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the core leadership of Congress. They urged lawmakers to deliver tangible legislative results by January next year, before the 119th Congress ends.
In the letter, CEO Bozzella sharply criticized China's auto industry as a whole. He said, "Chinese manufacturing is deeply rooted in unfair trade, subsidies, intellectual property theft, and surveillance." The criticism is that China's auto sector, backed by massive state subsidies, undermines fair market competition. He warned, "Right now, Chinese automakers are dumping subsidized vehicles equipped with communications software and hardware around the world," adding, "China is strategically establishing a beachhead in the U.S. domestic market."
What especially concerns the Alliance for Automotive Innovation is connected vehicles that integrate communications technology. Connected cars come standard with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi communications and function as giant computers on wheels. For navigation and self-driving features, they process in real time not only driver location information and biometric data but also surrounding terrain information collected by external cameras and microphones. U.S. security experts have warned that if the Chinese government penetrates these networks through hacking or backdoors, it could identify the locations of critical national infrastructure and military facilities. They argue this is a fatal security vulnerability that could turn millions of cars on the road into spy machines.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation asked Congress to move quickly to legislate before recess, saying permanent measures are needed that go beyond simple high tariffs or temporary regulations to fundamentally block sales, imports, and even manufacturing in the United States. CEO Bozzella said, "Before Congress adjourns this year, we urge you to enact a ban on Chinese-made vehicles, software, and hardware and make it the law of the land."
The U.S. government is already putting heavy pressure on Chinese-made cars through tariff barriers. President Donald Trump has kept in place the 100% punitive tariffs that the previous administration imposed in 2024 on Chinese electric vehicles. While the steep tariffs are curbing the price competitiveness of Chinese cars, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation judged that tariffs alone cannot address the security threat. It argued that only a comprehensive and permanent ban that makes imports impossible can fully block China's backdoor exports or market infiltration.
Inside Congress, hard-line legislative moves to check Chinese-made cars are already on track. In July, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation approved a bill strictly banning companies with more than 15% Chinese equity from selling vehicles in the United States. If that equity threshold is strictly applied, even Mercedes-Benz, a traditional German automaker in which Chinese investors hold about 20% of total equity, would be unable to sell cars in the U.S. market.
In particular, the House is actively debating a bipartisan push to oust Chinese connected vehicles. Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell and Republican Rep. John Moolenaar jointly introduced the "2026 Connected Vehicle Security Act" in the House, containing similar provisions. The security bill has garnered broad support, with 72 lawmakers across the aisle signing on as co-sponsors. Citing experts, The Hill reported that this "suggests that even within Congress, there is little partisan disagreement in the face of the rationale of national security and protecting key industries."
With the strong demands from the U.S. auto industry and bipartisan consensus in Congress aligning, experts said it is increasingly likely that the gates to the U.S. market will be locked even tighter against Chinese-made cars. Regarding House and Senate legislative efforts, CEO Bozzella said, "Lawmakers are firmly committed to getting the policy details right," adding, "If the 119th Congress enacts a permanent ban on Chinese-made vehicles and high-risk hardware and software, it will send a clear, bipartisan message that the U.S. government will respond to China's strategy to dominate the global auto manufacturing market as a matter of national security policy."