According to Reuters, US officials have approved license applications for China’s blacklisted telecoms company Huawei to buy semiconductor chips for its growing automotive components business.

Amid security concerns in the US and other Western countries, Huawei has been hard hit by US restrictions on the sale of chips and other components used in its network gear and smartphones businesses.

However, the Reuters report – citing anonymous sources familiar with the application process – says the US has granted licenses authorising suppliers to sell chips to Huawei for such vehicle components as touchscreens and sensors.

The report added that while a Huawei spokesperson declined to comment on the licenses, they said the company is ‘positioning…as a new component provider for intelligent connected vehicles’.