On the Dash:
- Chinese vehicle ban legislation has until December to pass before the current session ends.
- A Senate committee advanced the bill in July, and a House version has over 100 co-sponsors.
- Federal rules already restrict Chinese automakers, but the bill would make the ban permanent.
A group representing nearly all major automakers urged Congress on Nov. 2 to pass a permanent ban on Chinese vehicles. According to a Reuters report, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation made the request as lawmakers return next week for a short session, and automakers hope Congress passes the bipartisan bill before the session ends.
Head of the group, John Bozzella, said the U.S. market needs protection from a flood of Chinese imports, as imports carry surveillance risk and disadvantage current manufacturers that have invested in American communities for generations.
Notably, the Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026 cleared the Senate Commerce Committee in July, and a House version now has more than 100 co-sponsors. In September, the bill’s Senate sponsors, Sens. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, and Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., agreed to delay an effort to fast-track it until November despite overwhelming support. The bill would restrict the import, manufacture, and sale of connected vehicles, software, and hardware linked to China and other foreign adversaries, with vehicle and software restrictions beginning in 2027 and hardware restrictions in 2030. Labor groups including the United Auto Workers (UAW) and the Teamsters have also backed the bill.
However, President Donald Trump told Fox News in September that he would accept Chinese car companies building cars in the U.S., alarming some automakers. In a Sept. 17 letter, six auto trade groups, including the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), urged Trump to keep Chinese automakers out of the U.S. China’s foreign ministry has objected to earlier U.S. proposals targeting Chinese companies and urged respect for fair competition.
The bill’s fate will determine whether the current restrictions remain regulations or become law. Congress’s next steps are worth watching because they will shape which brands can compete for U.S. customers, but Congress still until December to act before the current session ends.