Two House lawmakers announced plans for bipartisan legislation to bar vehicles or vehicle components tied to Chinese companies from operating on US roads, citing national security, cybersecurity and economic risks. Representatives John Moolenaar, chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and Debbie Dingell, chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, said every modern vehicle acts as a rolling data-collection device and argued that cars connected to Chinese systems should not be permitted to become part of that network.
The proposal follows earlier federal action and growing concerns among security officials. In 2025 the Commerce Department finalized rules restricting certain transactions involving connected-vehicle hardware and software from China and related components. Former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo had warned in 2024 that connected vehicles from countries considered adversaries could potentially be used as weapons if they were remotely disabled on US roads.
Moolenaar has previously described hypothetical scenarios in which Chinese-made vehicles could be exploited during a crisis, including vehicles stalling or locking up and blocking key routes to government centers. Beyond those physical disruption risks, lawmakers and security witnesses have highlighted cyberthreats: in 2024 former FBI Director Christopher Wray testified that Chinese state-backed hacking groups, including Volt Typhoon, have positioned capabilities that could be used to target critical infrastructure such as transportation.
Lawmakers sponsoring the bill also frame it as economic protection for US automakers. Analysts have warned that large, state-backed subsidies to China’s electric vehicle sector have allowed Chinese companies to undercut international competitors. The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation estimates roughly $230.9 billion in Chinese government support to its EV industry between 2009 and 2023, a level critics say could harm foreign manufacturing.
The House measure parallels a Senate proposal called the Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026, introduced by Senators Bernie Moreno and Elissa Slotkin. Supporters in both chambers describe the legislation as a way to block potential surveillance, supply-chain leverage and unfair competition tied to Chinese-linked automotive firms, including those that might build or assemble vehicles inside the United States.
Lawmakers say the bill is designed to protect travelers, critical infrastructure and the domestic auto industry while addressing both cybersecurity and economic concerns. The measure reflects bipartisan concern in Congress about how emerging connected-vehicle technologies intersect with national security and trade policy.
