An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader defence environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, including vehicle use to communication habits.
