The Biden administration wants to shift cybersecurity burdens from individuals, small businesses and local governments to automakers and other big companies.
The White House's national cybersecurity strategy calls on "organizations that are most capable and best positioned to reduce risks" to take on that responsibility.
The end result, according to some industry observers, will make cybersecurity for increasingly software-dependent autos largely voluntary. That is because the White House's strategy amounts to recommendations and not mandates. But as more sophisticated software-defined vehicles come to market, the auto industry says cybersecurity responsibilities should be shared by companies, industries and government agencies in this evolving sector.