\u201cOn the one hand this offers practical benefits, but on the other hand these systems collect a great deal of data about occupants, the vehicle itself, and about objects and people in the vicinity. Various parties, including state actors, can gain access to this data,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n
The alert follows reports last year<\/a> that British defence firms working for the UK government had cautioned staff against connecting or pairing their phones with Chinese-made electric cars, owing to fears that Beijing could extract sensitive data from the devices.<\/p>\n Chinese-owned brands now account for 15% of all new cars registered in the UK, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, almost 175,000 vehicles in the first half of 2026 and more than double the same period last year.<\/p>\n Models by MG, BYD and Jaecoo, whose parent company Chery is part-owned by the Chinese state, have led the surge, popular for their low price and in-car technology. The Jaecoo 7 was the UK\u2019s bestselling car in March.<\/a><\/p>\n MPs have raised concerns<\/a> that China\u2019s national intelligence law requires its companies to assist the state\u2019s intelligence services when requested.<\/p>\n The UK Ministry of Defence has said<\/a> it is working with other government departments \u201cto understand and mitigate any potential threats to national security\u201d from vehicles.<\/p>\n This year, the MoD reportedly banned cars with Chinese parts from sensitive military sites, including RAF Wyton<\/a> in Cambridgeshire and the Dorset headquarters<\/a> of Britain\u2019s maritime special forces, the SBS.<\/p>\n
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