Germany Analyzes Potential Espionage Risks of Chinese Electric Vehicles

The German authorities are conducting a risk analysis to determine whether connected Chinese electric vehicles could be used for espionage purposes. Experts estimate that these connected electric cars, by gathering vast amounts of data about their movements and surroundings through cameras, microphones, and sensors, could serve as tools for spying.

According to Der Spiegel, citing the country's Ministry of the Interior, federal officials in Germany are assessing these risks. Poland and Switzerland have already imposed restrictions on the entry of private vehicles into military areas.

In response to inquiries from the publication, officials from the federal government stated that security threats such as state influence over car manufacturers "cannot be ruled out by technical solutions," although specific cases are currently "unknown." Given the increasing volumes of connected Chinese electric vehicles on German roads, experts are urging Germany and Europe to take this threat more seriously.

Paulina Uznańska from the Warsaw-based East European Studies Center believes that a connected vehicle is akin to a "drone on wheels." She warned that the collected information could interest not just China. Uznańska suggests that, against the backdrop of Beijing and Moscow's increasingly close military cooperation, it is entirely possible that data extracted from European roads could also become accessible to Russia.