Britain is also hypersensitive! Media: After Denmark, Britain launches an investigation into the issue of Yutong buses being accused of having a "kill switch"

According to The Sunday Times, the UK is investigating a security vulnerability that could remotely disable hundreds of Chinese-made electric buses. Government officials are working with the National Cyber Security Centre to determine whether Yutong, the bus manufacturer, has remote access to enable software updates and diagnostics for vehicle control systems.

Previously, an investigation in Norway found that Yutong, based in Zhengzhou, had a "kill switch" that could be activated while the bus was in motion. Last week, after Norwegian officials released the results of their investigation, Denmark initiated an emergency review of Yutong's buses.

There are currently approximately 700 Yutong-made buses on the roads in the UK, mainly concentrated in Glasgow, Nottingham, and South Wales. Its competitor BYD has nearly 2,500 buses in the UK, with over 1,000 operating in London.

Yutong has developed a double-decker electric bus that meets the standards of Transport for London and will operate in London. The company recently launched a specially designed red version of the bus.

The UK Department for Transport stated, "We have noted recent speculation about certain electric bus manufacturers. Our department takes safety issues extremely seriously and works closely with the intelligence community to understand and mitigate potential risks."

The UK Department for Transport said, "We are investigating this matter and working closely with the National Cyber Security Centre to understand the technical basis for the actions taken by Norwegian and Danish authorities."

Before the UK government got involved, Labour MP Euan Stainbank and Traditional Unionist Voice MP Jim Allister wrote to Simon Lightwood, the permanent secretary responsible for regional transport at the Department for Transport, urging him to investigate the matter.

The two MPs stated, "It is increasingly clear that a large number of Chinese-made electric buses on British roads may pose a national security risk, as suppliers might be able to remotely access and exploit the vehicle control systems while the vehicles are in motion."

The letter stated, "We call on the government to urge local authorities and operators to conduct an emergency investigation into the number and operation of Chinese buses on our streets, and whether Chinese manufacturers could potentially disable these products while they are in motion."

Yutong stated last week that the company "strictly complies with applicable laws, regulations, and industry standards in the regions where its vehicles operate." A spokesperson added, "This data is used only for vehicle-related maintenance, optimization, and improvement to meet customers' after-sales service needs. The data is protected by storage encryption and access control measures. No one can access or view this data without customer authorization. Yutong strictly complies with EU data protection laws." Yutong did not make further comments on this matter over the weekend.

Transport for London stated, "London currently has no Yutong buses, and our operators do not have any orders for Yutong buses. Any bus that is put into operation in London must meet our strict technical requirements, including rigorous testing."

Source: rfi

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848327364031499/

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