A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of government operations, including vehicle use to communication habits.
