On September 12, 2024, John Moolenaar (R-MI), Chairman of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Representative Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY), and Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) introduced legislation aimed at prohibiting the use of Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-affiliated LiDAR technology by the Department of Transportation (DOT). Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) is a remote sensing technology that captures detailed three-dimensional maps of surrounding environments with millimeter-level accuracy.
"LIDAR is a foundational technology of the future, critical to the development of everything from automobiles to our roads and bridges. By prohibiting the Department of Transportation from using CCP-affiliated LiDAR technology, Congress will get ahead of yet another supply chain dependency on the CCP and reduce the Party's leverage over our industries and our country. I am thankful for Rep. Johnson's leadership on this critical issue," said Chairman Moolenaar.
“America should not rely on this technology from our adversaries,” said Johnson. “China’s access to highly detailed maps of our country’s infrastructure, from ports to highways to railroads, is a big threat to our national security. We must keep our sensitive data out of the hands of those who seek to undermine our nation.”
“The U.S. cannot rely on Communist China for emerging critical technologies such as LiDAR. Unsecure LiDAR produced by our greatest strategic adversary jeopardizes our national security and undermines the competitiveness of American companies. I am proud to join Congressman Dusty Johnson and Chairman John Moolenaar in introducing legislation to root out Communist Chinese-manufactured LiDAR from the United States,” said Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik.
The Securing Infrastructure from Adversaries Act would prohibit the DOT from utilizing LiDAR technology from foreign adversaries, effective June 30, 2026.
Specifically, the DOT is prohibited from:
- Procuring LiDAR from a covered company.
- Contracting with entities using LiDAR from a covered company.
- Providing loans or grants to entities using LiDAR from a covered company.
Covered LiDAR companies include:
- Any entity on the Consolidated Screening List.
- Any entity on the 1260H list.
- Any entity that is domiciled or subject to unmitigated foreign ownership by China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia.
LiDAR is widely utilized in transportation within autonomous vehicles, drone inspection of critical infrastructure, traffic control systems, railroad grade crossings, airports, and more. While U.S. firms initially led in LiDAR production, firms from China are gaining market share rapidly, sometimes using questionable practices related to U.S. intellectual property. The National Security Law in China mandates that all companies provide any available data collected by their products and systems to the CCP when required.
