Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026

Key Points

• This bill would ban the import, manufacture, sale, or resale of connected vehicles in the U.S. if they originate from China, Russia, North Korea, or Iran. A connected vehicle is broadly defined as any car or truck that communicates wirelessly with networks or devices.
• The ban also covers software and hardware used in connected vehicles, including self-driving AI systems and battery management electronics, if they come from or are controlled by entities in these adversary nations. Even renaming or restructuring products to dodge the ban is prohibited.
• The vehicle and software bans take effect January 1, 2027, while the hardware component ban kicks in later on January 1, 2030, giving automakers more time to shift their supply chains for physical parts.
• Companies that violate the ban face steep penalties of at least $1.5 million per violation or five times the transaction value, whichever is greater. Each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense.
• The bill was introduced with bipartisan support by Senators Moreno and Slotkin, motivated by concerns that foreign governments could use connected car technology for surveillance, espionage, cyberattacks, or remote control of vehicles on American roads.