The US Department of Commerce has announced a final rule banning the sale or import of connected vehicles from China and Russia due to national security concerns. The ban also prohibits Chinese companies, such as WeRide and Pony AI, from testing self-driving cars on US roads.
National Economic Advisor Lael Brainard stated that allowing foreign adversaries to access sensitive data could pose risks to American people. However, exemptions have been made for vehicles over 10,000 pounds, including electric buses assembled by China’s BYD in California.
Currently, Chinese autonomous vehicle companies with active permits to test in California are allowed to do so without safety drivers, but Pony AI has a permit with a safety driver. The Commerce Department’s final rule will take effect in the 2027 model year for software bans and 2029 for hardware prohibitions.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/14/biden-admins-final-rule-banning-chinese-connected-cars-also-bars-robotaxi-testing-on-u-s-roads