A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified information in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of government operations, including vehicle use to communication practices.
