The US Commerce Department proposed a ban on Chinese automobiles, citing national security risks to justify the ban. The rule will have a 30-day grace period to see how people react to it before it’s enacted.

“We’ve already seen ample evidence of [China] pre-positioning malware on a critical infrastructure for the purpose of disruption and sabotage,” explains Jake Sullivan, national security advisor. “And with potentially millions of vehicles on the road, each with 10- to 15-year life spans, the risk of disruption and sabotage increases dramatically.”

The fear is that China might build its smart cars with tech that can be remotely hacked or accessed by Chinese agents. If a malware attack was launched on thousands of cars at once, it could result in nationwide chaos. Drivers could not stop their cars from turning off, activating features, or taking control away from them on the road.

The proposed ban is being called a “proactive measure” against China, even though there aren’t many Chinese cars on the US market. Lawmakers also insist that the ban isn’t an attempt to secure an economic or trade advantage over China and that it’s purely for national security.

“We’ll secure our cars and we’ll secure the American people, including our children, from potential surveillance, remote access and control, and protecting Americans from bad actors and trying to give every American peace of mind,” states U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

If the ban passes, it will go into effect by 2029 and prevent the sale of cars in China made after 2027.

This isn’t the first time that the US federal government has battled against Chinese cars. In May, President Biden levied a 100% tariff on Chinese electric cars to dissuade citizens from buying them. At the time, he voiced that he wanted the future of electric cars to be driven by America.

“I’m determined that the future of electric vehicles be made in America by union workers. Period,” he declared.