As Chinese electric cars gear up for an invasion of the U.K. market, the head of the Institute of the Motor Industry is warning that Beijing could remotely bring the nation to a standstill. Or it could be that the U.K. car industry is afraid of Chinese competition and is using security concerns to advocate for a ban… The Telegraphhas the story.
A coming influx of Chinese electric cars represents a security risk as they could be remotely controlled to “paralyse” Britain, according to the head of the industry’s professional body.
Britons face “major security issues” from Chinese cars, warned Professor Jim Saker, President of the Institute of the Motor Industry.
In a report due to be shared with car makers and regulators, Prof Saker said there was “no way” of stopping Chinese cars coming under remote control.
He said: “The car manufacturer may be in Shanghai and could stop 100,000 to 300,000 cars across Europe thus paralysing a country.”
While regulators can test samples of cars for spyware or other security vulnerabilities, testing thousands of vehicles is not feasible, he said.
A similar frailty of testing samples allowed Volkswagen to cheat emissions tests ahead of the Dieselgate scandal.
Up to 30 new electric vehicle brands are eyeing up the U.K. car market, most of them Chinese.
Companies like BYD and Ora, which already have agreements in place with U.K. dealers, will be joined by a raft of other car makers including Chery, Dongfeng and Haval.
The Chinese Communist Party aims to create a significant export industry. The boss of Vauxhall-owner Stellantis last week warned of an “invasion” of Chinese electric cars.
Carlos Tavares said Stellantis faces a “brutal scenario” where it must compete with Chinese-made cars which are a quarter less expensive while having to invest billions into electrification.
The Government has been slow to wake up to the threat posed, the MPs said.
Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee said in a report that the communist country’s ambition to become an economic superpower presented the “greatest risk” to the U.K.
It said China’s state intelligence apparatus was “targeting” Britain and its interests “prolifically and aggressively” and was seeking to control key industrial and civil nuclear energy assets.
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