Denmark raises surveillance concerns over Chinese electric vehicles

Concerns regarding surveillance and cybersecurity are rising in Denmark as Chinese electric vehicles gain market share. Jens Lønberg, the mayor of Lemvig, has expressed fears that the advanced technology in Chinese cars, such as those from BYD and Xpeng, could allow the Chinese Communist Party to conduct monitoring.

In the public transport sector, the Danish transit authority Movia is investigating the security of its 299 electric buses supplied by Yutong. Following a Norwegian study, questions have been raised about whether the mobile internet connections used for software updates could allow remote control over critical functions like doors, power supply, and batteries, potentially allowing the vehicles to be disabled.

While an investigation by EY concluded that Chinese manufacturers Yutong and BYD maintain high levels of cybersecurity and that the risk of hacking applies to various suppliers, Movia is considering implementing stricter requirements in future tenders. This may include prioritizing European manufacturers in alignment with EU regulations intended to support local electric bus production.