Waymo to bring 5,100 Zeekr vans amid Washington security concerns
Waymo, the Alphabet-owned company, is bringing 5,100 new electric vans from Chinese automaker Zeekr to boost its US robotaxi service by the end of 2026.
These Ojai vans are already rolling in Los Angeles and San Francisco, but the big order has sparked some nerves in Washington about data security and tech competition.
Moreno and Slotkin back import ban
Some US lawmakers worry these Chinese-made vehicles could hide surveillance tech, so lawmakers Bernie Moreno and Elissa Slotkin are supporting a bill banning imports of China-made vehicles, with a three-year grace period for Waymo to comply by 2030.
Waymo says it follows strict US regulations: its cars go through tough security checks and no sensitive data goes back to Zeekr.
The timing is tight too: starting in 2027, new rules will block connected vehicles from China and Russia altogether.