This week, Mr. President The outgoing Joe Biden administration has finalized rules that effectively ban all vehicle technology linked to China and Russia from American roads — a tough crackdown with far-reaching implications, not least for the growing trade in cheap Chinese electric vehicles.
The US Commerce Department said the rules, which were first proposed in September, are necessary to protect US vehicles from adversaries and foreign interference. “Imagine if there were thousands or hundreds of thousands of China-connected vehicles on American roads that someone in Beijing could disable instantly and simultaneously,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said last year. Bans on Chinese and Russian software will begin in 2027, with restrictions on hardware in 2029.
On paper, this would seem like a disaster for Waymo. Alphabet’s self-driving technology developer announced in 2021 that automaker Zeekr — whose brand is majority owned by Chinese auto giant Geely — will build its next generation of robotaxis.
In fact, pre-production models are already being road-tested in San Francisco and Phoenix, with Zeekr officials telling reporters earlier this month that it would begin delivering a production version of the car, called the Zeekr RT, later this year.
Despite the new rules, Waymo is confident that this partnership will not be affected and intends to move forward as planned.
“We do not expect the final rule to impact our use of the Zeekr platform,” Waymo spokesman Ethan Teicher wrote in an email to WIRED.
In comments submitted to the Commerce Department last year, Waymo argued that its cars should not be subject to the new rules because all of the connected technology on board is American-owned and equipped.
It says the vehicles Waymo receives from Geely are “basic vehicles,” stripped of telematics systems and any other technology that would allow the vehicle to communicate with or send data to its manufacturer. Only “authorized personnel” install Waymo’s self-driving technology in cars after they are delivered to the United States.
The Commerce Department did not respond to WIRED’s questions about Waymo’s Zeekr partnership.
Today, Waymo operates self-driving bus transportation using modified Jaguar I-Pace electric vehicles in metro Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Atlanta and Austin are expected to join later this year.
The company has also signed an agreement with Hyundai to use the modified Ioniq 5s in its fleet of ride-sharing vehicles later this year.
While Waymo remains confident about this New vehicles — which would have more legroom, a higher roof, and a lower pitch that could make the vehicles accessible to more passengers — would skew the ban, and it remains unclear whether it could be subject to new 100 percent tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. Which the Biden administration finalized last fall.
“We are monitoring tariffs closely, but Waymo’s plans are on the right track,” Teicher confirms.