The computers in cars can NOT be ‘bricked’,updated OS or not. You need a LOT of evidence to support that claim’

If the manufacturers we have here don’t want to make EVs, we have no EV manufacturing jobs to protect. Unless we’re planning to live on ICE vehicles into the climate crisis, we have to get a source of EVs. The options are import and FDI (foreign direct investment (build factories here)). FDI is probably preferable since it gives us the ability to make the vehicles we use. If we go for import, we probably want the cheapest possible deal that fits the bill, unless we want to pay extra for a good reason. E.g. we may want to buy European. Of course we have to ask whether that’s worth the cost given that they source some of their components from China. I think some European autos are planning to use Chinese platforms for their vehicles. At that point it may or may not make sense to pay the premium. That differs from maker to maker. E.g. Renault’s latest EVs seem EU-made. More broadly, the less in corporate profits we pay for our EVs, the more money are left in our pockets to spend on other Canadians. The cheaper the EVs, the less the cost of Canadian businesses using them is and the more competitive they are.

No.

• Their labour standards are way too low which means countries with good standards cannot compete (tariffs can balance this out though)
• They’re a foreign adversary so we should minimize our tech reliance on them as much as possible
• We don’t “need” cheap cars

New vulnerability lets attackers hijack Chrysler vehicles remotely

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I mean, it’s literally already happened, and this was a hacker doing it so it’s even easier for a car company to do it.

Any vehicle with OnStar can also be remotely disabled as well, it’s literally advertised as an anti-theft feature. https://www.onstar.com/tips/stolen-vehicle-assistance-helps-stop-thieves

If your car can be contacted remotely (almost every modern vehicle) I guarantee you that it’s possible for the manufacturer to brick it. It may not even require an update, there could be a hidden command in the existing software since the software is not publicly available to validate, nor is it being validated by the regulatory authorities.

The key is batteries. Honda is supposed to be making a battery factory (and whole EVs) in Ontario. It is a key “sensible option” to continue supporting. But there has to be a threat of abandoning all product sales from manufacturers who abandon Canada.

Chinese technology for battery plants in Canada using Canadian materials (other than lithium) can make good value EVs in Canada. I don’t know that Honda can do the same.

Is Honda doing it here to ship to the US?

Canada relies on foreign auto executives for its auto industry. It already provides huge taxpayer subsidies per job. There is certainly a possible future where all of those foreign loyal companies side with US to destroy Canadian auto production/investment.

1. China could help save Canadian auto industry by providing motors and batteries for Canadian made EVs. Chinese investment to make goods from Canadian resources in Canada is a path for scale that includes global export potential of autos and other industrial goods to whole globe including China.

2. If it doesn’t make economic sense to make our own tube socks, it doesn’t make sense to make overly expensive cars, either. There is a stronger national security argument for apparel, that needs yearly replacements, than solar, batteries, and autos that last 20+ years. More so, when they are not dependent on continuous international fuel supply chains/geopolitics.

Pressure on foreign executives to support Canadian production includes access to Canadian market. The stability of status quo will appeal to most people. But the threat/plan B of cooperation with China is both a path to manufacturing and resource FDI paid by China instead of taxpayers, and better quality of life through better value goods.

I feel like they def have issues, Taiwan, Tibet, Uyghurs, human rights record, general authoritarianism.

They also seem to have a better climate change story than anyone in north america, and USA has totally shown itself to be a mercurial alley.

I don’t see what advantage high tariffs have on something we want more of (EV’s). If the standards suck, then I’m ok with bringing them up to standard and charging for that.

Making this an either or “they are or aren’t our enemies” seems unnecessary, when we could buy their things and put pressure on them to do better on the things at the top.

They also seem to have a better climate change story than anyone in north america

They lied about covid numbers, so I don’t really trust their pollution numbers either, but they make some kind of “one step forwards, two steps back” progress because they keep building new coal power plants.

and USA has totally shown itself to be a mercurial alley.

The US is absolutely a shithole now, I don’t think we should look to them for EVs either.

I don’t see what advantage high tariffs have on something we want more of (EV’s). If the standards suck, then I’m ok with bringing them up to standard and charging for that. Making this an either or “they are or aren’t our enemies” seems unnecessary, when we could buy their things and put pressure on them to do better on the things at the top.

So, Trump kind of ruined saying tariffs as a solution to anything, but they are a tool to apply pressure to trade partners. Huge tariffs on Chinese EVs isn’t contributing to our cost of living crisis, because we can get EVs from elsewhere for decent prices, and because EVs are a super luxury item anyway.

There’s no pressure applied if we buy their EVs at cost. We don’t realistically have enough global political power to apply any political pressure either.

It depends on exactly what you mean by ‘bricked’. Take over the operation of the car, or just cause it to stop functioning? Teslas are easy to disable remotely. Just botch up the navigation system. But to cause them to deliberately crash? Takeover the complete control of the car?