Congress is trying to ban a car Americans can’t buy yet, and it has about eight weeks to do it. Once the 119th Congress hits its constitutional expiration at noon on January 3, 2027, under the Twentieth Amendment, every bill that hasn’t passed both chambers dies. The Connected Vehicle Security Act is one of them.
What the bill actually does
S. 4429 comes from Sens. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.). As introduced, it would bar the import, manufacture, sale, resale, or introduction into U.S. commerce of connected vehicles starting January 1, 2027, if the vehicle originates in or is designed in a covered country, or if its manufacturer is at least 15% controlled by covered-country entities. The covered countries are China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. govinfo
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The definition of “connected” is broad. It covers any road vehicle with networked hardware that talks wirelessly over DSRC, cellular, satellite, or other links, and it applies even if that capability is disabled or removed. That closes the obvious loophole of pulling the modem and calling the car dumb. govinfo
The bill also reaches deep into the supply chain:
- Software: Covered connectivity and automated-driving software, including AI and machine-learning components, is banned from January 1, 2027. govinfo
- Hardware: Telematics units, cellular modules, antennas, and battery-monitoring electronics follow on January 1, 2030. Safety equipment such as airbags, inflators, and seatbelts is also written into the hardware definition. govinfo
- Penalties: The minimum civil fine is $1.5 million or five times the transaction value, whichever is higher, per violation, and each day of a continuing violation counts separately. govinfo
Wait, isn’t this already banned?
Partly. In January 2025, the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security finalized a connected vehicles rule. Its software prohibitions apply from Model Year 2027, and its hardware prohibitions from Model Year 2030, or January 1, 2029 for parts without a model year. The rule covers only China and Russia. bis
The real point of the bill is permanence. A regulation can be rewritten by the next administration with a Federal Register notice. A statute takes another act of Congress. Slotkin made the trade-politics angle explicit when she and Moreno spoke on the floor the same day President Trump met China’s president. The subtext: lawmakers don’t want car access to become a bargaining chip.
Why it’s stuck
On paper, the bill has momentum. The Senate Commerce Committee approved it by voice vote on July 22 with two amendments adopted. It was reported with an amendment as S. Rept. 119–146 on September 22, according to the Congressional Record history. That September 24 floor appearance ended with the sponsors saying they would work to pass the bill by unanimous consent the following week. It still hasn’t passed. senate commerce science and transportation committee advances connected vehicle security act
Unanimous consent is the Senate’s express lane, and a single objection closes it. The alternative is a full floor process that competes with funding deadlines for scarce lame-duck time. The bill also has a separate House companion from Reps. John Moolenaar and Debbie Dingell. Both chambers have to pass identical text before January 3, or the whole effort starts over in 2027.
The Mercedes problem
That 15% ownership trigger is where things get awkward for brands nobody thinks of as Chinese. Mercedes-Benz’s own shareholder disclosures list BAIC Group at 9.98% of registered share capital and Li Shufu at 9.69% through Tenaciou3 Prospect Investment Limited. Neither stake reaches 15% alone. Combined, they come to 19.67%. mercedes-benz
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Whether stakes are added together for “control” is the kind of drafting detail that decides if a German luxury brand stays on sale here. The committee-amended text, not the introduced version, will govern that. Any automaker with Chinese money in its cap table should be reading it closely.
What it means for owners and shoppers
If you already own a car with Chinese ties, the introduced text is gentler than the headlines suggest:
- Selling it used: “Resale” excludes vehicles already titled to and used by a consumer, so private used-car sales aren’t caught. govinfo
- Parts and repairs: Hardware for repair or warranty work on vehicles from model years before 2030 is exempt. Collision shops shouldn’t face a cliff on modules for existing cars. govinfo
- What’s actually at risk: Watch long-term residual values on affected brands, not this year’s repair bills. If the ban becomes statute, future model availability, dealer support, and software update pipelines for some nameplates become questions with no regulatory escape hatch.
The supporter list explains why this bill keeps getting another shot. General Motors, the UAW, the Teamsters, and supplier group MEMA are all on record backing it. Detroit and organized labor agreeing on anything is notable on its own. They have until noon on January 3 to turn that agreement into law.