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Javier Palomarez, USHBC President & CEO, Responds to the Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026
The legislation would ban automobiles, parts, and software manufactured in or in partnership with China and other adversarial nations from entering the United States market.
Modern connected vehicles are capable of collecting and transmitting massive amounts of sensitive information, including geolocation data, driving patterns, infrastructure mapping, and personal consumer information. Policymakers and industry leaders have raised alarms that Chinese-connected vehicle technologies, software, and hardware could expose Americans to heightened risks tied to surveillance, data exploitation, and broader national security vulnerabilities.
The proposed legislation would prohibit the importation, integration, manufacture, sale, and resale of connected vehicles and related technologies linked to foreign adversaries, while also empowering the Department of Commerce to identify and block high-risk vehicle technologies and transactions that may threaten U.S. economic and national security.
In response, Javier Palomarez, President & CEO of the United States Hispanic Business Council (USHBC), issued the following statement:
“National and economic security are increasingly intertwined. Connected vehicles are no longer simply automobiles, they have become rolling data collection systems capable of capturing highly sensitive information about American consumers, infrastructure, and transportation networks. The possibility that foreign adversaries could access or exploit that data raises serious concerns that deserve thoughtful and proactive action.”
Palomarez continued:
“For decades, American manufacturers and workers have faced the consequences of unfair competition fueled by heavily subsidized foreign industries. The auto sector supports millions of jobs across the United States, including countless small and midsized suppliers that form the backbone of the manufacturing economy. Policymakers must ensure that efforts to modernize transportation technologies do not simultaneously expose American industries, workers, consumers, and critical infrastructure to long-term strategic vulnerabilities.
“I commend Senators Bernie Moreno and Elissa Slotkin for thoughtfully pursuing policies aimed at protecting both American innovation and the long-term competitiveness of the U.S. economy. The bipartisan nature of this conversation reflects the growing recognition that economic security, consumer protection, and national security are increasingly interconnected. These discussions are ultimately about ensuring emerging technologies strengthen American industry, protect consumers, and create lasting economic opportunity for the American people.”
At the same time, small businesses need predictability, fairness, and clarity as these policies evolve. American companies operate under rigorous consumer protection, transparency, and regulatory expectations, while growing concerns remain about whether foreign adversarial systems operate under the same standards, data governance practices, or legal constraints. Policymakers must ensure that American businesses and consumers are not placed at a structural disadvantage in industries increasingly driven by connected technologies, sensitive data, and digital infrastructure.”
The debate surrounding connected vehicle technologies reflects a broader challenge facing the American economy: balancing innovation, affordability, national security, and long-term industrial competitiveness.
The organization emphasized that connected vehicle technologies extend far beyond automobiles themselves, influencing manufacturing, logistics, semiconductors, software development, infrastructure, energy systems, and small business supply chains. As global competitors continue investing heavily in advanced transportation technologies, the USHBC stressed the importance of ensuring American businesses and consumers remain protected from evolving cybersecurity, economic, and geopolitical risks.
“We support innovation, competition, and consumer choice,” Palomarez added. “But those priorities must exist alongside a serious commitment to protecting American infrastructure, safeguarding sensitive data, and preserving long-term economic resilience. These conversations are no longer theoretical. They are shaping the future of commerce, transportation, and national security in real time.”
The USHBC reiterated its commitment to working alongside lawmakers, federal agencies, and industry stakeholders to ensure that emerging transportation technologies strengthen both economic opportunity and national security for American businesses and consumers.
To learn more, follow @myushbc and @JPalomarez on X.
Visit ushbc.com/join to become a member today.
About the USHBC
Javier Palomarez is the President & CEO of the United States Hispanic Business Council (USHBC). The USHBC is a leading voice for the small business community. A 501(c)6 non-profit organization, the USHBC focuses on the success of American small businesses by ensuring they have a voice in the national dialogue. The USHBC is a nonpartisan organization.
Katherine Machado O'Hara
The Oxígeno Project
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