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A defense official has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified information in all cars.

Safety Advice for MoD Personnel

In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.

He stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a concern in every modern cars.

Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.

But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.

After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”

Wider Defence Background

The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.

Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.

The broader security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.