FCC Scrubs Two Gadgets From US Market Over Huawei-Linked Neural Chip
The agency invoked its new silicon-based authority to block two consumer devices from US sales, citing a specific AI processor from a Huawei subsidiary.
By Ivan Dvorak ·
The Federal Communications Commission has banned two consumer devices from the US market for the first time under a new rule that targets the internal silicon of products rather than their brand names. The action blocks a dashboard camera and a wireless video transmitter from being sold or marketed in the country.
Both products were rejected because they contain the Hi3516CV610 UHD Smart Vision system on a chip. HiSilicon, the manufacturer of this processor, is a subsidiary of Huawei. The agency listed Huawei and its subsidiaries on its Covered List, which identifies entities that pose a risk to national security.
The new regulatory approach aims to close a loophole where rebranded products using parts from restricted Chinese manufacturers could still reach consumers. By focusing on the chip itself, the FCC avoids tracking every individual product label or model revision. The banned processor is designed for surveillance and camera systems. It integrates WiFi, Ethernet, video encoding hardware, an Arm Cortex-A7 processor, and a neural processing unit.
The FCC’s concern centers on the neural processing unit, which it classifies as a logic-bearing smart component. According to the chip’s data sheet, its Intelligent Video Engine runs on this unit and uses a built-in multimodal large model with transformer feature acceleration. This architecture allows the system to track objects across video frames. The data sheet lists pets, faces, human figures, and parcels as subjects the system can monitor.
While this technology allows a camera to distinguish between a pet and an unknown person, the FCC views the logic-bearing AI as a potential tool for surveying US citizens. The agency believes the processor could log faces for foreign surveillance. Huawei has a history of controversies in the US. It previously used shell companies to deceive TSMC into manufacturing AI chips despite US requests to stop supplying certain Chinese customers.
Reactions to the ban have been divided. Some observers criticized the move as protectionist or questioned the difference between American and foreign surveillance practices. Other commenters noted that the FCC’s authority extends beyond wireless devices. The Communications Act of 1934 directs the agency to protect both wired and interstate communications. Some argued that silicon-based bans were necessary from the start due to the many regional variants of a single product.
