A Senate inquiry found that BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, and Volkswagen have bought parts made by a Chinese company that uses forced labor. This discovery has led lawmakers to call for stricter enforcement of the law.
The Senate report, released on Monday, revealed that these automakers have taken steps to comply with the law after being informed about the situation. The investigation, conducted by the Senate Finance Committee over two years, found that BMW imported over 8,000 MINI vehicles containing parts made by JWD, a company sanctioned for using forced labor in Xinjiang, China.
Jaguar Land Rover also imported replacement parts with components made by JWD, even after being notified of the issue. On the other hand, Volkswagen disclosed to U.S. border authorities that some of its vehicles contained parts from JWD.
These components were sourced through two contractors: Bourns Inc. in California and Lear Corp. in Michigan, the latter being a direct supplier for BMW and Jaguar Land Rover.
Senator Ron Wyden, who chairs the committee, criticized automakers for not effectively monitoring their supply chains for forced labor. Jaguar Land Rover responded by stating that the problematic component was used in previous technology and is not present in current vehicles for sale. They immediately halted shipments of affected parts and quarantined existing inventory for destruction once they were aware of the situation.
BMW Group also took steps to stop the importation of affected products and will notify customers and dealers about affected vehicles.
Both automakers emphasized their commitment to human rights and opposition to forced labor.
In 2021, the U.S. passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which prohibits products made with forced labor in Xinjiang, where Uyghur Muslims face persecution. Lawmakers have urged strict enforcement of this law and criticized automakers for not thoroughly examining their supply chains to ensure compliance.
