The delegates of the United States Congress have surprised us again with another controversial economic measure. This time the target is certain foreign vehicle manufacturers. Among those affected are Asian giants such as CFMoto and kove. But there is more.
Recently, the United States Department of Commerce proposed a regulation that would ban, starting in 2027, vehicles with software and hardware connections from China and Russia. The Industry and Security Office (BIS) of Department of Commerce was in charge of publicizing this initiative, focused on the so-called «connected vehicles«. Logically, the Chinese top the list of manufacturers under scrutiny. But be careful, so do the Russians. Although that is another commercial song.
This is what they are going to ban in the United States
The BIS defines a «connected vehicle» as an automobile or any other type of vehicle powered by mechanical power, designed primarily for use on public roads, and using network hardware integrated with automotive software systems, capable of communicating using short-range wireless technology, cellular telecommunications, satellites or other means of connection.
Now comes the good part. The T-Box telematics system and the Ride app CFMoto meet these characteristics, which implies that, if these new rules are approved, their models equipped with this type of hardware and software could be banned in the US starting in 2027.
In February of this year, the Department of Commerce had already advanced its intention to regulate this matter, and the Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondostressed that it was not difficult to imagine the national security risks that could arise if foreign governments gained access to connected vehicles on American soil.
This new set of regulations, and a setback for the brand, comes at a time when CFMoto has managed to position itself firmly in the US market, after notable success in Latin America. However, it is not the only brand in the sights of Yankee legislators.
As we have told you, another Chinese giant, kovewhich is also gaining traction in the US, could be affected by the same rules. Obviously, all manufacturers are taking, more or less, the same path in terms of connectivity and services.
In fact, motorcycles kove They usually include GPS systems and Bluetooth connectivity that allow linking with a mobile application, which could also exclude them from the US market by 2027. But, logically, the global commercial strategy points in that direction.
All within a US protectionist policy, as we have been seeing for years, and taking into account that both manufacturers have captured the attention of motorists in the US by offering high quality models at more affordable prices than those of their local competitors. . Without a doubt, they are going to be beaten on the other side of the pond.
And although motorcycles represent only a small fraction of the affected vehicles, most of the restrictions would focus on electric vehicles from China, which currently appear to be more technologically advanced than many of their U.S. competitors. We’ll see how this all ends…
