A defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified information in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider security environment highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
