An defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been told to avoid talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader defence situation highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government activities, from transport use to communication practices.
