U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin escalated her warnings about Chinese automotive technology on May 4, 2026, arguing that connected vehicles built by Chinese companies pose both a national security threat and a technological risk to the United States. In a post on X, Slotkin said, “The risk of Chinese cars being hacked and remotely controlled is not just theoretical. That’s why Senator Moreno and I have introduced a bill to ban them in the United States.”
The comments came days after Slotkin and U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno introduced the Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026, bipartisan legislation focused on restricting Chinese-made connected vehicles, software, and hardware from entering the U.S. market. The proposal centers on concerns that modern connected vehicles function as rolling data collection systems capable of transmitting sensitive information overseas.
According to the bill’s framework, connected vehicles equipped with internet access and wireless technologies can collect extensive amounts of driver and infrastructure data, including geolocation information, driving behavior, personal data, and mapping information related to roads and surrounding infrastructure. The legislation specifically names Chinese automakers including BYD and Geely as examples of firms that lawmakers argue could ultimately be subject to Chinese intelligence laws.
Slotkin described Chinese vehicles as “surveillance packages on wheels,” warning that data collected from vehicles operating on American roads could be transmitted back to Beijing. Her office said the Chinese Communist Party’s strategy of subsidizing domestic industries, undercutting foreign competitors with lower prices, and eventually dominating key sectors presents a threat not only to national security but also to the U.S. auto industry and its workforce.
The legislation would prohibit the importation, manufacture, sale, and resale of connected vehicles, software, and hardware tied to China or other foreign adversaries. The restrictions would also apply to joint ventures and entities determined to be under foreign adversary control. Under the proposal, the Department of Commerce would receive expanded authority to identify and block technologies or transactions deemed threats to U.S. economic or national security.
The bill also outlines enforcement mechanisms that include compliance procedures, binding rulings, and civil penalties intended to prevent prohibited technology from entering the American market. Lawmakers structured the proposal with a phased implementation timeline, with software and connected vehicle restrictions beginning in 2027 and hardware restrictions following in 2030.
Slotkin framed the proposal as both an economic and cybersecurity measure tied directly to the future of the American automotive sector. “Chinese cars are a serious threat to America’s national security and Michigan’s economic security,” she said in the bill’s official release. She added that the United States “need[s] to act now” to stop Chinese vehicles from entering the country.
Moreno echoed those concerns, describing the American auto industry as “the backbone of the American industrial economy.” He argued that Chinese state-backed automotive companies are attempting to dominate foreign markets through heavy subsidies and pricing strategies that undercut domestic manufacturers. Moreno said, “Chinese vehicles can never be allowed into the U.S. market—the fate of the American auto industry and countless autoworkers depends on it.”
The legislation quickly drew support from major automakers and manufacturing organizations. General Motors said it supports policies that strengthen American manufacturing and maintain a “level playing field” for U.S. automakers. Ford Motor Company also praised the bipartisan effort, while Stellantis said the bill addresses “important issues related to connected vehicle security and fair competition.”
The proposal additionally received backing from labor and industry groups. United Auto Workers President Shawn Fainsaid the measure places “common sense guardrails” on threats facing the U.S. auto sector. John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, said Chinese automakers are “flooding markets around the world with cut-rate vehicles” and argued the legislation sends a message that the U.S. “will not throw open the doors” to Chinese automotive companies.
The debate surrounding connected vehicles reflects a broader shift in how lawmakers increasingly view automobiles as advanced technology platforms rather than purely transportation products. Modern vehicles rely heavily on cloud connectivity, cameras, sensors, software updates, and data-sharing systems that can continuously transmit information. National security officials and lawmakers have increasingly raised concerns that these systems could create cybersecurity vulnerabilities or provide opportunities for foreign surveillance.
Slotkin’s position on connected vehicles aligns with her wider focus on artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and national security competition with China. As of 2026, the Michigan senator has repeatedly argued that the United States must aggressively compete in the global AI race while simultaneously establishing legal restrictions on how advanced technologies are used.
Earlier in 2026, Slotkin introduced the AI Guardrails Act, legislation designed to place limits on the military use of artificial intelligence. The proposal would prohibit autonomous weapons systems from killing targets without direct human authorization, ban the use of AI for mass domestic surveillance of Americans, and require that decisions involving nuclear weapons remain under direct presidential control rather than machine automation.
Slotkin has also criticized the export of advanced AI chips to China and has argued that the U.S. should pursue an aggressive industrial strategy to maintain technological leadership. Her approach has increasingly centered on the idea that technologies such as artificial intelligence, connected infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing are becoming inseparable from national security policy.
The Connected Vehicle Security Act represents the latest example of that broader strategy, combining concerns over cybersecurity, surveillance, artificial intelligence, connected systems, and industrial competition into a single legislative effort focused on the future of the automotive industry.
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