New Delhi, November 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) are increasingly being viewed as a potential security threat at Western military installations because their cameras and connected systems could capture sensitive locations and transmit data to China, according to an article in The National Interest by Christopher Nye.
The report highlights that Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, banned vehicles made by Chinese EV giant BYD from entering its premises from October 26. The restriction covers private cars, taxis, vans and contractors’ vehicles. A base spokesperson said the vehicles “present an unacceptable and unmitigable risk to our personnel and our mission.”
The US has also introduced restrictions on China-linked connected vehicles. A Commerce Department rule bars Chinese connected-vehicle software from model year 2027 and hardware from 2030. It also prohibits Chinese-controlled automakers from selling connected cars in the US from model year 2027, regardless of where they are manufactured. In June, the department denied China-owned Swedish brand Polestar authorisation to sell cars in the US from model year 2027. The Pentagon also added BYD to its list of Chinese military companies that month.
The article raises concerns over Chinese vehicles accessing military sites in countries hosting US forces. In South Korea, at least 190 Chinese connected cars are reportedly registered to enter military installations, including bases linked to F-35 and KF-21 aircraft, naval facilities and the submarine command at Jinhae. A separate report cited navy records showing that unregistered Chinese vehicles had entered naval facilities at least 565 times this year. Seoul’s Defence Ministry has said it will restrict connected cars at sensitive sites by the end of the year.
The report also cites a September exercise by Norway’s Home Guard at Oslo airport, where soldiers found stored camera footage in rented Deepal vehicles made by China’s state-controlled Changan. The footage reportedly included passenger movements, routes and codes used to access military facilities. An official from Norway’s National Security Authority said, “We don’t know for sure where the information is sent or what it’s used for.”
The article further points to privacy policies of Chinese-owned car brands. MG, owned by China’s SAIC group, says customer data may be processed in China in specific cases, while Xpeng’s British privacy policy allows data transfers to affiliates, including its headquarters in China.
FOLLOW NOW
