Spooks probe whether Chinese-made electric cars could be spying on Brits for Beijing - Daily Mail

By David Churchill Chief Political Correspondent

21:40 18 Apr 2024, updated 21:46 18 Apr 2024

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden revealed a top-level review is under way

British spooks are probing Beijing‘s ability to spy on UK citizens through Chinese-made electric cars.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden revealed that a top-level review is under way into whether hostile states could use the vehicles (EVs) as intelligence-gathering devices.

Speaking at an event in central London, he said officials at the National Cyber Security Centre were working with ministers and intelligence agency GCHQ.

The electric car probe mirrors an investigation announced by Joe Biden into whether the vehicles can be used to hoover up sensitive data about people and infrastructure.

Tory MP Tim Loughton, who sits on the Commons home affairs select committee and was one of nine MPs sanctioned by China for criticising the country’s Communist regime, said: ‘It is good to see the Government waking up at last to the very real threat that China poses to security [and] the daily lives of everyday people.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, speaking at an event in central London today (pictured), said that a top-level review is under way into whether hostile states could use the vehicles (EVs) as intelligence-gathering devices

The electric car probe mirrors an investigation announced by Joe Biden into whether the vehicles can be used to hoover up sensitive data about people and infrastructure (stock photo)

The revelation came after security minister Tom Tugendhat (pictured) said this week that some EVs could ‘be easily turned into mobile intelligence gathering platforms’

Alicia Kearns (pictured), chairman of the foreign affairs select committee, said: ‘There are long-standing concerns about cellular IOT modules [connectivity devices] or SIM cards which enable cars to be tracked and potentially listened to’

‘Chinese-made cars have effectively become mobile computers able to connect to the internet, transfer data to Beijing or be operated by an outside body.

Universities ‘targeted’ by hostile states

University bosses will be briefed by the security services over fears that they are being ‘targeted’ and ‘exploited’ by hostile states, Oliver Dowden revealed.

Vice-chancellors will be called to a Cobra meeting about becoming overly reliant on cash from foreign students and how it could leave them vulnerable to political ‘coercion’.

Mr Dowden said UK universities are ‘vulnerable in the fallout from heightened geopolitical tensions’.

‘We all need to be wise to this and stop becoming Beijing junkies for cheap technology.’

China is the world’s biggest producer of electric cars and there are fears that its cheaper models could flood US, UK and European roads.

The revelation came after security minister Tom Tugendhat said this week that some EVs could ‘be easily turned into mobile intelligence gathering platforms’.

Asked whether he agreed with the remarks, Mr Dowden said: ‘I think the security minister raises a very important point and that is something we’re actively looking at.

‘It’s important that we put security in at the beginning in the design and don’t tack it on to the end.’

Alicia Kearns, chairman of the foreign affairs select committee, said: ‘There are long-standing concerns about cellular IOT modules [connectivity devices] or SIM cards which enable cars to be tracked and potentially listened to.’

Concerns over EVs come after ministers moved to ban Huawei technology from all 5G public networks by the end of 2027.

Luke de Pulford, of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said: ‘What we need is action to prevent the import of products which threaten national security.’

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