A defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government activities, including transport usage to discussions practices.
