A defense minister has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
