The bill addresses national security threats in the automotive industry, prohibiting the importation, sale, or use of connected vehicles, software, and hardware from specific countries or entities. It aims to protect the US automotive sector from risks associated with foreign adversaries and emphasizes potential security risks related to connected vehicles. The Secretary of Commerce can issue authorizations and establish procedures for rulings and penalties. The bill also requires reports to Congress on enforcement activities, covered items, and recommendations for decreasing threats. It ensures the continuation of regulations and exclusions for connected vehicle security and impacts regulations and compliance related to connected vehicle security.
Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026
This bill prohibits the importation, manufacture, sale, resale, or introduction into U.S. interstate commerce of connected vehicles and related software and hardware components associated with China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea.
Connected vehicle means a vehicle that (1) integrates onboard networked hardware with automotive software systems to communicate with any other network or device using certain methods (e.g., wireless spectrum connectivity); or (2) is designed, manufactured, or originally equipped to communicate via such methods, regardless of whether such capability is enabled, disabled, or removed at the time the vehicle enters the United States.
Current regulations administered by the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) prohibit transactions involving vehicle connectivity system hardware and covered software designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of China or Russia.
The bill expands the BIS regulatory framework, including by (1) expanding the countries covered by the prohibition to include China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea (Current BIS regulations apply only to China and Russia.); and (2) specifying that certain artificial intelligence components are covered by the prohibition.
By January 1, 2027, BIS must publish a list of items that are authorized for the importation, manufacture, sale, resale, or introduction into U.S. interstate commerce and would otherwise be subject to the bill's prohibition.
The bill also includes enforcement mechanisms, including that BIS must assess civil penalties for violations of the prohibition.
