Bipartisan Bill Would Ban Federal Use of Chinese-Made Ground Robots
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A bipartisan pair of senators, Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Chuck Schumer of New York, have introduced the American Security Robotics Act to bar federal agencies from purchasing or operating unmanned ground vehicle systems made by companies tied to designated foreign adversaries, including China. The bill covers humanoid robots, remote-controlled surveillance machines and other autonomous ground systems used by the federal government, and would also prohibit agencies from accessing such robots indirectly through contractors, grants or agreements. Schumer argues Chinese robotics firms could embed hidden "backdoors" that allow remote access or control and expose sensitive data and research, while Cotton frames Chinese-made robots as a direct threat to Americans’ privacy and national security. The proposed ban would take effect one year after enactment but includes carve-outs for national-security, research, testing and certain law-enforcement uses, reflecting concern in Washington that rapidly advancing foreign humanoid and patrol robots could become another channel for espionage and data theft.