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The US government has launched an investigation into the national security risks posed by foreign-made vehicles with internet connectivity—especially those made in China. At a briefing on Wednesday, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo even raised the specter of Beijing remotely triggering mayhem on US highways.

“Imagine if there were thousands or hundreds of thousands of Chinese connected vehicles on American roads that could be immediately and simultaneously disabled by somebody in Beijing,” Raimondo said.

The new US government fears about Chinese autos coming as automakers such as BYD and Geely have become major global players in car manufacturing—and particularly electric vehicles. They also build on evidence that as cars have become increasingly computerized, and connected to the internet, vehicles have become vulnerable to new security threats. Hackers have shown it is possible to disable internet-connected vehicles from afar. Automated driving systems and internet connectivity have added cameras and other sensors to vehicles, and can also make them mobile repositories of personal information.

Raimondo said that the Bureau of Industry and Security, a division of the Commerce Department that handles national security issues related to advanced technology, would explore how sensor-laden, internet-connected vehicles could be used to commit espionage, collect data