US demand grows for Chinese cars despite privacy and security fears
But they're still unlikely to go on sale in the US.
https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/10/us-demand-grows-for-chinese-cars-despite-privacy-and-security-fears/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social

@arstechnica

It's not like US or EU cars aren't also insecure and invasive.

At least the chinese have better battery tech, better quality, and lower prices.

@alienghic @arstechnica I find that Ars is pretty problematic.

Isn't the first time they've pushed their Sinophobia.

@majorlinux

at the rate we're going if someone wants a private vehicle they're going to have to build it at home out of bike parts.

@alienghic I mean, I did watch a Drivetribe video where they actually did build a car in two days.

@majorlinux

There was a group that had designed the core of simple car that could be assembled (by people who knew what they were doing) in an hour.

https://makezine.com/article/maker-news/osvehicles-tabby-evo-build-open-source-ev-hour/

But I think they got acquired and the kits aren't available any more.

Also they were rated for EU streets and so were a bit slow for US highways.

@highvoltage @majorlinux

Yes, the longer someone can keep a car running the better it is for their bank account.

Unfortunately for me I view the oil industry as a malevolent evil force intent on destroying human civilization, and so really wanted to switch to an electric.

But unfortunately all the production EVs are filled with spyware.

It'd be nice to live in a world where the FLOSS world had installers that could provide the equivalent of "vesh" (vehicle shell) to replace modern cars infotainment systems.

@highvoltage @majorlinux

First off I'd like to congratulate you on living in a country that permits the sale of Chinese cars. That is a luxury not available to us in the USA.

There are companies that have can do or sell conversion kits for ICE cars. Usually they're targeting older cars that well off people are nostalgic for, but the EV power train is mechanically much simpler and can often be crammed into many older cars.