The Polish government has decided to ban cars from Chinese manufacturers from accessing military areas in the country due to the risk of espionage, according to a statement released by the Polish Army this Tuesday (17). According to information from the international press, the preventive measure was adopted after an internal risk assessment on the ability of modern vehicles to collect and transmit sensitive data related to infrastructure and defense operations.
According to the agency Reutersthe Army stated that sensors and systems that integrate these automobiles can be used to record confidential information. In a statement, the Polish military highlighted that the restriction seeks to address the risks arising from the “increasing integration of digital systems in vehicles and the potential for uncontrolled acquisition and use of data by these systems”.
According to Associated Press (AP), Electric vehicles, like those made by Chinese automakers, are capable of capturing real-time video, audio and location. Polish authorities have expressed concern that Chinese manufacturers may share this type of information with foreign authorities, including the Beijing regime itself. Therefore, cars produced in China are prevented from entering sensitive military areas, unless specific recording and connectivity functions are disabled and other safeguards are applied according to the rules of each installation.
A Reuters also reported that the Polish military banned the connection of official telephones from the country’s Army to systems installed in vehicles manufactured in China, as an additional form of data protection. The authorities highlighted that the measures are preventive and are in line with practices adopted by other member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and allies.
Data from consultancy IBRM Samar, cited by APindicate that Chinese vehicles currently represented more than 8% of new cars registered in Poland last year.
