Paranoia and a Strawman Enemy Used to Justify the "Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026"

 

Senators Slotkin and Moreno are the sponsors of the "Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026" an act that essentially prevents the importation of Chinese cars and components by US consumers.

Both Senators expressed the concern that certain Chinese cars are "connected vehicles" that can collect travel and road information which will be use by China in nefarious ways against the US. On the economic side, they point out that the Chinese government subsidizes these cars, which allows them to unfairly sell for less than American cars. They are also concerned that these Chinese cars have already capture a large portion of the European and Asian market. 

Are we to believe the Chinese did not think to build this surveillance capability into the Apple iPhone, smart watches, computers and tablets that travel with us?

Software for tracking the location of a cellphone has been available for years and has been used by parents to track the location of their children.  Auto insurance companies also use this technology to track their policy holder's cars. Apparently, Europe and Asia don't share the same paranoia of Senators Slotkin and Moreno. China has exported around 1.2 million vehicles to Europe, just under 1 million to Asia in 2025. China exported over 7 million globally in 2025.

This bill will only result in Americans paying more for cars of any type. The opportunity to buy a Battery Electric Vehicle, BEV, which China has made very affordable, has been already hampered by the American Auto Industry's preference for internal combustion engine vehicles [ICEV]. The reason for this preference is that the majority of a car dealership's profits comes from maintenance and repair. BEV's need little to no maintenance and have proven to have a much better record of repair than any ICEV. The major component of the BEV is the high voltage battery which has been proven to last much longer than originally projected and its cost has dramatically reduced. 

If senators Slotkin and Moreno would like to level the playing field with the Chinese government's subsidized cars, they can sponsor a bill that returns to the American consumer the difference in price between the equivalent Chinese car and the American car. The bill could give the subsidy to all Americans regardless of income and type of car purchased. Not as a tax rebate but a direct payment to the purchaser. This would help those buyers who do not earn enough to get a tax rebate and would not penalize those at the higher income level. It helps both the auto industry and the American people. It might even help bring down greenhouse gases if BEV sales increase as they are in Europe and Asia. Currently China sells more BEV's than ICEV's to Europe and Asia.

The American consumer should have the right to purchase any currently available BEV they choose. A bill that subsidizes the American consumer will benefit the auto industry and its workers. No need for paranoia and a strawman enemy to keep those campaign contributions coming in from the automotive industry. If you make a voter's life a little easier and keep a voter employed, they will vote for you.

For detailed information on the "Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026" see the link below.

Slotkin, Moreno Bill to Protect National & Economic Security from Chinese Vehicles Advances Unanimously - Senator Elissa Slotkin https://share.google/buGg5Jcvqq27A2iA2