The US Commerce Department’s 60-day window for public comments regarding the national security concerns of connected vehicles closed this week, with a leading transportation group issuing a grave warning about potential threats to the US automotive industry.
The threats surround the possibility of foreign adversaries – particularly China – taking advantage of the technology in connected vehicles to steal sensitive user data information and even stage cyberattacks, says Fox Business.
USDOT lists connected vehicle technologies as “applications, or systems that use V2X communications to address safety, system efficiency, or mobility on our roadways.”
Additionally, the technology uses “data from short-range communication broadcasts and peer-to-peer exchanges within approximately 300 meters to ‘sense’ what other travelers are doing and identify potential hazards,” according to the DOT.
That information, however, could be in jeopardy due to sophisticated Chinese components included in the vehicles from the automotive supply chain.
onsequently, the Biden administration in February opened an investigation to address the national security risks from connected automobiles that incorporate technology from China and other possible adversaries.
In a statement, the White House pointed out that the large amounts of sensitive data in connected vehicles – including on cameras and sensors – posed significant risks.
“Connected vehicles collect large amounts of sensitive data on their drivers and passengers; regularly use their cameras and sensors to record detailed information on US infrastructure; interact directly with critical infrastructure; and can be piloted or disabled remotely,” the statement read.
“Connected autos that rely on technology and data systems from countries of concern, including the People’s Republic of China, could be exploited in ways that threaten national security. China has imposed wide-ranging restrictions on American autos and other foreign vehicles operating on their roads,” the White House added.
