Brief
Chinese‑Made Vehicles in UK Police Fleet Linked to Remote Control Concerns
Met Police electric fleet uses Chinese batteries and cellular modules that continuously communicate with Beijing, according to the Mail on Sunday.
By Felo News Desk · Published
The Mail on Sunday reports that the Metropolitan Police’s 1,600 electric and hybrid vehicles run on Chinese‑made batteries and cellular modules that constantly transmit data to Beijing, raising national‑security concerns.
What happened
According to the article, the Met’s fleet, as well as buses built by Chinese manufacturer BYD, contain satellite‑navigation and phone‑signal devices that receive software updates automatically. The piece cites a test by Norway’s bus operator Ruter, which parked a new Chinese Yutong bus in a signal‑blocked mine; the vehicle’s battery and power‑control systems still attempted to contact Beijing.
What the reports add
The Mail on Sunday adds that the software updates are not optional and that errors in the code require constant monitoring to prevent overheating or fire. It also suggests that, in a crisis over Taiwan, Beijing could potentially disable UK police cars, ambulances and buses with a single command.
What was said
The article quotes unnamed sources telling the Mail on Sunday that “China, led by Xi Jinping, could disable police cars, buses and ambulances at the flick of a switch.”
How it came about
The piece links the issue to broader concerns about Chinese trade creating dependency, noting that the UK government has ordered BYD buses for London despite the security worries.
Key facts
- Met Police’s 1,600 electric and hybrid vehicles use Chinese batteries and cellular modules. (dailymail.co.uk)
- Norway’s Ruter found a Chinese Yutong bus still trying to communicate with Beijing even in a signal‑blocked mine. (dailymail.co.uk)
- Sources say Beijing could remotely disable UK police and emergency vehicles. (dailymail.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] dailymail.co.uk — originally reported as “This isn't paranoia - and Xi Jinping has put a pistol on the table”
