The US House of Representatives introduced a defense spending bill this week that includes a provision to prohibit the use of Chinese-made LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) in the US military system.
The measure, proposed by Republican Representative Elise Stefanik of New York, would prevent the Department of Defense from buying or using LiDAR manufactured in China. This type of optical sensor is widely used in autonomous vehicles and drones.
Stefanik stated in a press release, “As the US military increasingly relies on autonomous unmanned systems, my amendment sends a clear signal that the United States cannot rely on untrustworthy LiDAR, as it would endanger our national security and weaken the competitiveness of American companies.”
Since the 1960s, when the US first used LiDAR in defense and aerospace sectors, a range of industries including automotive, precision agriculture, meteorology, manufacturing, and smart cities have adopted LiDAR technology.
This type of sensor can scan the surrounding environment and generate high-resolution, long-range 3D images. Unlike other sensing technologies such as cameras, LiDAR performs well even in low-light conditions.
In recent years, the Chinese authorities have shown increasing interest in this emerging technology. In 2020, Beijing designated LiDAR technology as a strategic emerging industry.
At the time this bill was introduced, the US has become increasingly uneasy about Chinese-made LiDAR. In January of this year, the US Department of Defense placed one of China’s largest LiDAR system manufacturers, Hesai Group, on a list of companies suspected of having ties to the Chinese military, known as “1260H.” Hesai denied having any connections to the Chinese military.
Although being listed under “1260H” does not immediately lead to a ban, it serves as a warning to US entities and companies of the risks associated with doing business with these companies.
With support from China’s industrial policies, subsidies, and market protections, Chinese companies are rapidly expanding and selling products at below-cost prices to gain market share.
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told Reuters last year that his department is concerned about the national security implications of such technologies and emphasized the need to better understand the true ownership of different elements provided by various companies for our transportation system.
Chinese companies have also faced allegations of intellectual property theft: in 2019, Velodyne, a US company, accused Hesai and Robosense of infringing on their intellectual property. In 2023, another US company, Ouster, accused Hesai of infringing on five of their patents.