● Covered by 3 sources · 3 reportsMedium impact3 neutral
FCC Blocks Gadgets Containing Huawei-Made "Surveillance Chips"
Key points
- FCC blocked gadgets with "foreign surveillance chips" for the first time.
- The chip identified is the HiVision Hi3516CV610 UHD Smart Vision SoC.
- HiVision is a subsidiary of Huawei, a company on the FCC's Covered List.
- New FCC power allows blocking components from national security threat list companies.
- The banned devices are a dashboard camera and a wireless video transmitter.
- The Hi3516CV610 SoC includes WiFi, Ethernet, video encoding chips, an Arm Cortex-A7, and an NPU.
- The NPU is a Neural Processing Unit for AI features.
- The new rules took effect on October 13.
New FCC Power Utilized
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has initiated its new authority to block electronic gadgets containing components from companies deemed national security threats. This power was granted to the FCC on October 13th and is now being exercised for the first time.
Specific Chip Identified
The FCC has identified the "surveillance chip" in question as the HiVision Hi3516CV610 UHD Smart Vision SoC. This chip is designed for surveillance applications, including human face detection, and is often packaged with camera sensors for use in home security cameras or dashcams. HiVision is a subsidiary of Huawei, a company previously designated by the US government as a national security risk and included on the FCC’s Covered List.
Closing a Loophole
This action by the FCC aims to close a loophole that allowed companies to incorporate products from banned entities into other manufacturers' gadgets. The FCC previously implemented similar measures, such as the power to retroactively ban gadgets and block modular radio transmitters, to address national security concerns related to telecommunications equipment.
Updates
- The banned devices are a dashboard camera and a wireless video transmitter.
- The Hi3516CV610 SoC includes WiFi, Ethernet, video encoding chips, an Arm Cortex-A7, and an NPU.
- The NPU is a Neural Processing Unit for AI features.
- The new rules took effect on October 13.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
The FCC banned a wireless video transmitter and a dashboard camera from entering the U.S. market due to their use of surveillance chips from Huawei subsidiary HiSilicon. This action marks the first ban under new rules implemented on October 13, which prohibit devices containing components from companies on the agency's national security 'covered list'.
The FCC has issued its first bans on devices based on internal chips, rather than whole products, targeting a dashboard camera and a wireless video transmitter. These devices contain HiSilicon Smart Vision SoCs, a subsidiary of Huawei, which is on the FCC's Covered List due to national security concerns. This new rule closes a loophole allowing rebranded products with restricted Chinese components to enter the US market.
The FCC has begun blocking electronic gadgets that contain chips from companies on its national security threat list, specifically targeting the HiVision Hi3516CV610 UHD Smart Vision SoC, a chip designed for surveillance applications and made by a Huawei subsidiary. This action marks the first use of a new power granted to the FCC in October to prevent the use of components from banned entities in consumer devices.