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An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in any cars.

Security Guidance for MoD Personnel

In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.

He explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.

We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.

However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.

After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”

Wider Defence Background

The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.

Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.

The wider defence situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, including vehicle use to communication habits.