Automakers Urge Congress to Pass Chinese Vehicle Ban

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representing major manufacturers including General Motors, Toyota, and Volkswagen, is urging the United States Congress to pass the Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026. The industry group seeks a permanent ban on Chinese connected vehicles, citing national security concerns over surveillance risks and data privacy. The legislation would codify a 2025 regulation restricting Chinese and Russian connected vehicle software and hardware.

While a Senate committee cleared the bill in July, Republican Senator Rand Paul delayed the vote in September, arguing that a 15 percent Chinese ownership threshold could unfairly impact Mercedes-Benz. Bill sponsor Bernie Moreno is currently working on a compromise to exempt the German automaker. Lobbyists express concern that the bill may fail to pass before the December session ends, particularly if Democrats win control of the legislature in the midterm elections.

The push for a total ban contradicts statements from President Donald Trump, who indicated in September that he would accept Chinese car companies building vehicles within the United States. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China has criticized the proposed restrictions as unreasonable suppression.