US connected-car rule prompts Ford, other automakers to seek licenses for China-built modelsâ Synopsis Automakers like Ford are seeking U.S. government authorization to continue selling vehicles with Chinese-linked software, facing a ban set to take effect for model year 2027. This complex process highlights the auto industry's deep ties to China's supply chains, with hardware restrictions expected to pose even greater challenges. The Nautilus' software is developed in the U.S., but installed into the vehicle in China, requiring government approval to continue selling it âin the United States, â Ford said. Ford â is among the automakers navigating a complex and opaque licensing process, which is exposing the extent to which the U.S. auto industry has intertwined its supply chains with China. The rules include a ban on most Chinese-developed and -maintained software and cover companies with significant Chinese ownership. Lawmakers have proposed making the rules even tougher. They were adopted in January 2025 under President Joe Biden, based on national security concerns linked to the ability of vehicles to collect sensitive data on American owners, and have been kept in place under the Trump administration. The software prohibitions take effect for model year 2027, and separate restrictions on hardware take effect for model year 2030. Ford said it will likely start importing 2027 model year Nautilus vehicles in January, so it has â several months âto secure an authorization. HARDWARE BAN POSES BROADER COMPLICATIONS While the software ban has become a headache for some automakers on certain models, it is preparing the industry for the much more difficult task of decoupling the U.S. auto hardware supply chain from China."Hardware restrictions â are likely to be more cumbersome and require more time for automakers to adapt," researchers at the Rhodium Group said in a study. Some automakers are already making