Dutch Intelligence Warns Smart Cars Could Be Used for Espionage
Dutch intelligence warns that smart car features such as microphones, cameras and GPS trackers could be used by hostile states for espionage, as Chinese-made vehicle imports to the UK surge and military sites restrict them.
The AIVD called for "awareness of espionage risks around modern vehicles," saying some microphones can be switched on remotely to listen to conversations. It did not mention an individual country. The warning adds to concerns around a recent boom in Chinese car imports into the UK.
In the document, the agency said cars are becoming "increasingly smart" with digital systems that collect data and connect to the internet. It said these systems offer practical benefits but also collect a great deal of data about occupants, the vehicle itself, and objects and people in the vicinity. Various parties, including state actors, can gain access to this data, the AIVD said.
The warning follows reports last year that British defence firms working for the UK government had warned staff against connecting or pairing their phones with Chinese-made electric cars, owing to fears that Beijing could extract sensitive data from the devices.
Chinese-owned brands now account for 15% of all new cars registered in the UK, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. That was almost 175,000 vehicles in the first half of 2026, more than double the same period last year. 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's bestselling car in March.
MPs have raised concerns that China's national intelligence law requires its companies to assist the state's intelligence services when requested. The UK Ministry of Defence has said it is working with other government departments "to understand and mitigate any potential threats to national security" from vehicles. This year the MoD reportedly banned cars with Chinese parts from sensitive military sites, including RAF Wyton, a site in Cambridgeshire, and the Dorset headquarters of the Special Boat Service, a UK special operations unit.
The AIVD said it is "technically possible to activate" microphones and cameras remotely in some cars, allowing malicious actors to "eavesdrop on conversations" and "make recordings in and around the vehicle." It warned drivers "do not hold confidential conversations in or around the vehicle," and "do not use a vehicle with an external camera when travelling to a sensitive location." It also said connecting phones and other devices, either via Bluetooth, wifi or charging systems, could allow malicious actors to "extract data from connected devices via the vehicle." It suggested systems such as GPS navigation systems, telematics modules and charging stations could all be used to gather and send data about the car and drivers' whereabouts elsewhere.
Earlier this week MI5 issued a rare public warning to UK universities to stop working with the China General Technology Research Institute, which it said was being used as a front by Beijing's intelligence service to pay for research by UK academics and steal the secrets of hi-tech projects. The Chinese embassy in London issued a strongly worded rebuttal, describing the accusations as "imaginary and purely fabricated."