Major UK defense firms warn staff against charging phones in Chinese cars

• Questions raised over Chinese espionage via influx of China-built cars
• Journeys and location, text messages and documents said to be at risk
• Plugging a phone in to a Chinese car has been compared to using an unknown USB

UK government and military staff have been warned about security concerns surrounding the use of Chinese-built cars, according to reporting by The i Paper.

For example, staff at RAF Wyton have been instructed to park cars that are built with Chinese components at least two miles away from the facility due to concerns over sat-nav and sensor surveillance.

Warnings also cover connections between Chinese built cars and their drivers' phones, including Bluetooth connections and even charging the phone via the cable.

Chinese cars are under investigation

Apart from sensing location and surroundings, microphones in certain cars could potentially be used for eavesdropping by the Chinese state. As such, staff are being warned not to connect mobile phones to Chinese-made cars or discuss work inside of them, with major defense firms like BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and Thales reportedly taking protective measures.

The worry is that there is the potential for cars to harvest journeys, text messages, voicemails and sensitive documents, and plugging a phone into a car has been compared to plugging an unknown USB drive into a work computer.

Chinese electric cars in particular have become incredibly popular in the UK just in the past few years, often undercutting established brands and offering similar levels of quality and standard equipment. However, it's not just Chinese brands that have been affected by the allegations – other brands that use Chinese components are also at risk of potential protective measures.

Some cybersecurity experts say that the concerns are valid given China's history of espionage. National Intelligence Law also requires Chinese firms to assist state intelligence on request, therefore espionage via cars is entirely plausible. However, on the flip side, there has been no proven widespread spying via cars as yet.

Mike Hawes, leader of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, noted: "All manufacturers with cars on sale in the UK must adhere to relevant regulations on data privacy, and EVs are no different."

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