An defence official has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader defence environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of government operations, including vehicle use to communication habits.
