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Modern vehicles have GPS tracking, cameras, microphones, and other optical sensors connected to the internet. If Chinese-made software and hardware were integrated into these vehicles, then there's a genuine risk America's highways could be flooded with rolling spying machines.

The Biden-Harris administration is getting tougher on China ahead of the November elections to show the American people that they mean business with Beijing. A newly proposed rule from the US Commerce Department reveals the potential to ban Chinese-made software and hardware in vehicles connected to the internet. 

Here's more from the White House:

On Sunday, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo told reporters during a conference call that "in extreme situations, a foreign adversary could shut down or take control of all their vehicles operating in the United States, all at the same time, causing crashes (or) blocking roads." 

A senior administration official told CNN that the proposed rule would not apply to vehicles already on US highways with Chinese software or hardware installed. The software ban is expected to begin for the model year 2027, and the hardware ban for the model year 2030. 

Raimondo said the proposed rule, which is now undergoing a 30-day public comment period, is not a protectionist move, yet Chinese critics have disputed this. She noted, "This is not about trade or economic advantage," adding, "This is a strictly national security action."

Meanwhile, Tesla vehicles have faced concerns about spying in China in the last several years. In response, Elon Musk's EV company established a data center in China to store and process data collected from vehicles, aiming to appease authorities and demonstrate compliance with Beijing regulators to address spy fears.