A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader security situation highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of government operations, including transport usage to discussions habits.
