A group representing American automakers sent a letter (PDF) Thursday to congressional leaders asking for a “permanent ban” on Chinese-made cars in the U.S. John Bozzella, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation’s CEO and president, described in the letter China’s manufacturing industry as “rooted in a well-documented pattern of unfair trade, subsidies, intellectual property theft and surveillance.” Bozzella addressed his request to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) – urging them to back a “permanent ban on the sale, import and manufacture of Chinese connected vehicles,” before the 119th Congress concludes in January.

  • Archer@lemmy.world
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    1 hour ago

    The CEO of Ford publicly keeping his Chinese car tells you everything you need to know. They’re afraid of the competition

    • el_abuelo@programming.dev
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      You think that nationally subsidised and otherwise loss-making companies is the free market?

      I appreciate capitalism isnt popular on lemmy but let’s at least base the discourse in reality over propaganda.

      The free market is about having little to no government control. Therefore any market that includes the Chinese market can not be described as a free market.

      I would argue that banning Chinese companies would demonstrate more, not less, commitment to a free market.

      • CADmonkey@lemmy.world
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        9 hours ago

        nationally subsidized

        Like when american auto manufacturers needed a bailout around 2011?

      • BrickEater@lemmy.world
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        11 hours ago

        … Are you stupid? A free market allows for ANY competitors regardless of how the company is run or its location. By banning an entire countries products you are making the market less free for the buyer by lowering the competition for American cars.

        And let’s be honest US cars suck dick. I’m driving a fucking Dodge Laramie and its a piece of shit, the tech is all over the place with no normalized menus and and annoying as fuck central IPad for a dash.

      • thejoker954@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        Pretty much most if not all major US corps are being nationally subsidised.

        From “bail outs” to tax breaks to grants where the company doesn’t do what they are supposed to for said grant, but also don’t have to pay it back.

        It’s just like how lobbying is just “legal” bribery.

        It’s all just bullshit.

  • masterspace@lemmy.ca
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    1 day ago

    Or you know, the government could just match Chinese industry subsidies so they’re competing on level playing fields.

    China’s government is using government power to invest in critical and necessary industries that benefits everyone, like renewables and EVs, driving down their costs.

    The US instead spends it’s money investing in fossil fuel companies, and letting billionaires hoard it, and then complains when Chinese EVs are cheaper. You’re the richest fucking country in the world. Stop fucking whining and start using your wealth to produce competitive EVs. It’s not that fucking complicated.

    • artyom@piefed.social
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      They would have to go back in time and apply those subsidies 15 years ago. Chinese are so far ahead at this point, US stands little chance of catching up. Couldn’t hurt though.

      • CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.works
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        20 hours ago

        So far ahead in what way? We’re talking about powering electric motors not building pico-scale computer processors. The difficult advancements in EVs is with the battery technology and battery technology is not specific to EVs themselves. We’ve been building cars for over a hundred years at this point so the rest of the car building process is already well established here.

  • greyscale@lemmy.grey.ooo
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    1 day ago

    Maybe if the US auto industry spent the last 10-15 years innovating and reinvesting instead of paying dividends and stock buybacks, it’d not be dying on its arse right now.

    Made their own bed, and expecting the US consumer to keep buying overpriced swill.

    • Sludgehammer@lemmy.world
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      What are you talking about? The American auto industry has done plenty of innovations over the past decades. They’ve innovatively made trucks that are 6’ tall at the hood, and also have turned every brand of car into a SUV.

      • _NetNomad@fedia.io
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        1 day ago

        don’t forget the advances in headlight technology. traffic will be a solved problem once cars can vaporize each other with their high beams

      • greyscale@lemmy.grey.ooo
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        1 day ago

        un-friendshape-maxxing

        I do not know where all the friendly bubble-shaped cars went. I don’t want an angry cube shaped like a battering ram, I want 4 armchairs with the most smooth, slick shape for low drag and impact softness wrapped around it.

        If I could just buy a chinese EV I’d buy the Li Mega but its simply not allowed.

  • tag118@lemmy.zip
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    1 day ago

    So car manufacturers want to block their competition?

    I am shocked I tell you, shocked!

    • zewm@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      It works. I haven’t been able to buy a new Suzuki Samurai because they made legislation against it. 🤪

  • holy_scroller@lemmy.zip
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    1 day ago

    Screw these guys. US automakers have basically abandoned any attempt to build an affordable, small, electric car leaving a giant gap for the Chinese to fill, and we would all be better off if they did.

    I’ve owned a Chevy bolt for 4 years and love it, but Chevy/GM keeps trying to kill it (2nd cancellation in mid 2027) and move everybody to an electric Equinox. If they don’t want to build small affordable (hopefully electric) cars, screw them, no sympathy. They clearly know people would buy these Chinese electrics.

  • TheFogan@programming.dev
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    1 day ago

    rooted in a well-documented pattern of unfair trade, subsidies, intellectual property theft and surveillance

    I have faith in America, there’s no way we’re losing to china in patterns of unfair trade, subsidies, IP theft and surveillance.

  • lemmelemmy@feddit.org
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    1 day ago

    So if they do such thing, wouldn’t China going to put shit loads of “asshole tax” to their product pipeline. It’s like kicking your chicken because he also lays eggs for themselves

    • CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.works
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      14 hours ago

      The US auto industry is so much more vast than US companies. We only have a few remaining ones, but everyone pretends like American brands are all that exist here in discussions like this.

    • nymnympseudonym@piefed.social
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      There’s a commercial on the radio in GTA:VC. A baby is crying and the voiceover says, “This American baby is starving because you bought a cheaper, higher-quality Daihatsu!”

  • Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org
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    1 day ago

    Oh yes, build a Chinese Wall around Usa, and then make China pay for it 🦸‍♀️😉😜

    • 123@programming.dev
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      6 hours ago

      Probably just as long lasting as your typical American car with innovative ideas like a wet belt system (known bad design seen as planned obsolescence by any mechanic with more than 0 days of experience).