Chinese ‘Spies on Wheels’ Raise Espionage Alarms in Europe

The growing number of Chinese-made intelligent vehicles on European roads is sparking serious security concerns, with experts warning that the cars could be exploited for espionage or even sabotage.

Agnieszka Rogozińska, a national security expert from the War Studies University, told PAP that banning Chinese cars from areas near critical infrastructure could mitigate these threats. A recent report from the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW) titled “Smartphones on wheels” highlights that such vehicles could be used for intelligence gathering or terrorist attacks.

These cars are equipped with advanced connectivity technologies that allow them to scan their surroundings, track their location, and communicate with infrastructure in real time. Michał Bogusz, an analyst at OSW, explained that all intelligent cars with integrated computer systems pose a cybersecurity risk to both individuals and nations.

“First, it’s simply a giant platform of long-range sensors,” Bogusz said. “Such a system collects information not only about the car’s immediate surroundings but also about where it moves and what networks or devices it interacts with.” He added, “A dozen such cars already form an entire network of sensors controlled by a single system.”

Dr. Rogozińska identified two primary risk areas: cybersecurity and intelligence-gathering. Modern vehicle systems are vulnerable to attacks, including remote hijacking, a danger that grows as their numbers increase. In Poland, such vehicles already accounted for over 10% of the market in October and their share is rising.

From an intelligence perspective, the key issue is unrestricted access to sensory and geospatial data. This information, including audio and video from inside and outside the car, can be used to map critical infrastructure, military facilities, and industrial plants. The data is often sent to external cloud servers managed by entities outside of European control, creating opportunities for espionage.

Rogozińska noted that Europe currently lacks specific legal regulations, and states have limited ability to monitor intelligence activities conducted by manufacturers. To counter this, she suggested one effective preventive measure would be to prohibit Chinese vehicles from entering zones near airports or military bases.

“However, such an action, though justified, requires a solid legal basis to avoid accusations of fighting competition,” Rogozińska cautioned. She pointed out that China itself has been implementing restrictions since 2021, defining sensitive data and subjecting vehicles, including Teslas, to rigorous tests.

“We are on the verge of new, multidimensional threats that require our services to create a complete system of verification and response,” she concluded, adding that Chinese strategies explicitly merge civilian and military means, turning intelligent vehicles into potential tools for sabotage.

However, not all experts are convinced that singling out Chinese cars is the right approach. Maciej Pertyński, an automotive industry expert and a juror for the prestigious World Car of the Year award, believes it is a mistake to focus on Chinese vehicles while ignoring other cars or devices with Chinese-made components.

He acknowledged that any Wi-Fi-connected device can be used for spying or sabotage but expressed doubt that legislation could effectively prevent it. “Anything can be a weapon, and we cannot protect ourselves from it,” Pertyński said. “Besides, this isn’t exclusive to China. In Russia, all Porsches stopped working one day. Apparently, they received an electronic command.”

Pertyński was referring to an incident in early December when hundreds of Porsche cars in Russia were remotely disabled by the manufacturer, leaving owners without access to key digital functions.

Western governments are beginning to react. In September 2024, the U.S. Department of Commerce issued a document titled “Protecting America from Connected Vehicle Technology from Countries of Concern,” laying the groundwork for restrictions on Chinese software and hardware imports. Similar analyses have emerged in Europe, including a December report from Sweden’s National China Centre and another from the U.K.’s China Strategic Risk Institute, which warned that “Brussels is ‘behind the curve’ as Chinese spy-EVs become commonplace.”

These reports all conclude that modern Chinese cars, effectively “data tanks on wheels,” could serve Beijing’s interests by gathering vast amounts of information on critical infrastructure and surveilling users.