The UK Ministry of Defence has instructed personnel to stop discussing classified matters inside official vehicles, citing espionage risks from Chinese surveillance technology, according to reports published this week.
Warning stickers now appear on dashboards across hundreds of vehicles in the ministry’s “white fleet,” which transports troops and equipment. The stickers read: “MOD devices are NOT to be connected to vehicle” and “Avoid conversations above OFFICIAL within the vehicle,” referring to the UK’s security classification system.
The policy emerged after a Chinese tracking device was found in 2023 inside a government vehicle reportedly used by then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Security officials discovered the tracker sealed within a component that a Chinese supplier had manufactured, according to British media.
The ministry currently leases 745 electric vehicles and 1,414 hybrid vehicles as part of environmental commitments. Defence officials implemented the restrictions after UK security services warned that modern vehicles equipped with cameras, microphones and internet connectivity present intelligence risks.
“As the public would expect, we have security advice in place to protect our systems and information,” an MOD spokesperson said. “This includes ensuring that official devices are not connected to cars and that staff only have conversations at the appropriate classification. This policy applies to all MOD civilian hire vehicles, not just electric ones.”
The ministry has not identified evidence of actual data breaches.
Conservative defence spokesman Mark Francois urged stronger action. “At last some parts of our Government are taking the threat of Chinese espionage seriously,” Francois said. “We could also learn from the US, which has much tougher restrictions on Chinese vehicles and components. In this day and age, careless talk definitely costs lives.”
The UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory assessed in April 2025 that modern electric vehicles function as networked computer systems with surveillance capabilities, though British officials emphasize their measures remain precautionary.
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