The US declared on Thursday that it will initiate an inquiry into potential security risks associated with connected vehicles that utilize technology from countries of concern, including China.

President Joe Biden has announced that he is instructing the Commerce Department to conduct an investigation and decide on potential measures to safeguard the security of the United States by ensuring that vehicles on American roads do not pose a threat.

According to a statement from Biden, modern cars are now designed to be connected in a similar way to smartphones. They connect to our devices, navigation systems, important facilities, and the manufacturers themselves. This means that vehicles made in China could potentially gather personal and infrastructure data and transmit it back to the Chinese government.

During a phone call with reporters, senior officials from the administration stated that they do not have an exact tally of the number of vehicles connected to countries of concern currently in the United States. However, they did mention that the number is minimal.

An official stated that it is commonly vertically integrated and can often be found in vehicles that are made in China by Chinese companies. However, there are only a small number of these vehicles currently on American roads.

According to officials, the current measures will not include implementing bans or tariffs. Instead, the focus will be on collecting knowledge about potential regulations.

The main point being emphasized is the need to act before there is a significant presence of these vehicles on American roads. An official stated, “As the Chinese market for automobile export expands quickly and gains ground in other countries, such as Europe, it is crucial to evaluate the potential national security risks at this time.”

The primary focus will be on the technological components within vehicles, including hardware and software, that have the ability to gather and send data. These components also have the potential for remote access, which could be misused.

A representative stated that possible concerns may include privacy matters, such as the information contained in text messages or emails that are accessed through a driver’s phone and connected to a car’s system. Another concern could be a situation where a Chinese entity could potentially deactivate numerous Chinese-linked cars on American roads.