Nio's digital cockpit (Image: Nio Inc.)
By Bolaji Ojo
What’s at stake:
China’s dream of seizing a large chunk of the US autonomous vehicle market may be heading straight for a brick wall as the Commerce Dept. moves advances its proposal for a ban on the sale and importation of Chinese vehicles equipped with connectivity devices, systems and components. American automakers may rue the move one day, but for now, the proposal favors them.
Shed some tears for China’s automotive manufacturers. Their aspiration for domination of the global automotive market may be about to implode, courtesy of the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS).
While you are at it, though, spare a few moments to cry for Detroit’s big automakers, and perhaps even Tesla, too. Their production operations or intentions in China may need to be aborted and shifted to more favorable terrains.