The U.S. Department of Commerce announced today, Thursday, its intention to investigate potential risks to data security in the United States due to the use of electric cars and other Chinese-made internet-connected vehicles, adding that it intends to act before Chinese car manufacturing companies expand in the American markets.

An official from the Department of Commerce, requesting anonymity, said that the United States has not yet called for a ban on Chinese electric vehicles, but it may impose some restrictions on the import of cars or their components.

The official added that potential restrictions could include a range of internet-connected and self-driving cars, along with related components from China and other foreign countries hostile to the United States.

Bloomberg News Agency quoted Gina Raimondo, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, saying that the administration is reviewing these risks before "Chinese car companies become widespread in the United States and become a potential threat to our privacy and national security."

It is noteworthy that the presence of Chinese car companies in the U.S. market is very limited due to tariffs imposed by former U.S. President Joe Biden of 27.5% on imports of these cars. The Biden administration is considering increasing these tariffs, while U.S. officials believe that increasing tariffs may not be sufficient to prevent Chinese cars from entering the U.S. market.

Bloomberg previously reported that Chinese companies export their cars to the U.S. market through other countries or establish their factories in countries linked to the United States by trade agreements such as Mexico.

At the same time, the European Union is working on imposing restrictions on Chinese electric car exports, but on an economic rather than security basis.

The pending U.S. investigation comes within broader efforts by the U.S. administration to support the American car industry and monitor Chinese investment patterns such as the Chinese electric car manufacturing company BYD, according to the official, but this particular investigation comes against a backdrop of security concerns.