US Senators are pressing for Senate passage this week of bipartisan legislation that would permanently restrict Chinese-made connected vehicles from the US market.
The legislation, the Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026, was put forward in April by Democratic Senator from Michigan Elissa Slotkin and Republican Senator from Ohio Bernie Moreno.
It would prohibit the import, manufacture, sale and resale of connected vehicles, along with related software and hardware tied to China and other foreign adversaries, including through joint ventures.
Under the bill, the US Department of Commerce would be empowered to identify and block vehicle technologies, components and transactions deemed a threat to national or economic security.
Enforcement mechanisms would also be established to stop prohibited technologies from reaching the US market.
The restrictions would be phased in, with provisions covering vehicles and software taking effect in 2027, followed by hardware restrictions from 2030.
Slotkin appeared at a press conference on 23 September alongside Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Andy Kim, ahead of President Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on 24 September 2026.
She set out three priorities she wants Trump to raise: keeping Chinese vehicles out of the US, halting the sharing of information by Chinese companies with Iran that contributed to the deaths of three US service members, and stopping exports of advanced US chips to China.
Reuters reported that the bill has 51 supporters in the Senate and secured unanimous backing from a Senate committee earlier this year, while its House counterpart has more than 100 cosponsors.
A notice sent to Democratic senators' offices said Moreno intended to seek unanimous consent for the bill this week.
A congressional aide told Reuters that some Republican senators had voiced concerns, though it remained unclear whether they would formally object.
The bill would codify an existing regulation from the Biden administration, introduced in early 2025, restricting Chinese connected-vehicle technology.
The US also imposes tariffs exceeding 100% on Chinese electric vehicles.
General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen, Ford, Hyundai, Stellantis and Tesla urged Trump last week to maintain existing restrictions on Chinese automakers' access to the US market.
