An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official operations, from transport use to communication habits.
