Danish Officials Scramble to Close Safety Loophole in Chinese Electric Buses
Officials in Denmark are actively investigating methods to seal an evident protection gap in hundreds of China-produced electric buses that enables them to be remotely deactivated.
Investigation Triggered by Discoveries in Neighboring Country
The probe follows transport authorities in Norway, where the Yutong buses are also in service, discovered that the Chinese supplier had remote access for software updates and system checks to the vehicles’ control systems – which might be misused to impact vehicles while operating.
“Our examination uncovered vulnerabilities that we are now addressing,” stated the top official of the public transport authority. “Federal and regional authorities have been notified and must support further actions at a countrywide scale.”
Suggested Fix and Its Limitations
Their investigations revealed that distant shutdown could be blocked by extracting the buses’ mobile chips, but they have not done this because it would also isolate the bus from support services.
- Tighter safety requirements for new acquisitions
- Moving ahead of the deployment of newer models of buses
- Getting ready for vehicles that could be tighter connected and tougher to protect
Extent of the Problem in Denmark
Denmark's largest public transport company runs nearly 470 China-made e-buses, with approximately 260 of these made by Yutong.
“Electric transports – similar to electric cars – can be remotely deactivated if their operating programs have internet connectivity,” noted a chief operating officer. “It isn't a China-made vehicle problem. It is a problem for all types of vehicles and equipment with electronics from China built in.”
Government Evaluation and Warnings
The Danish agency for civil protection and emergency management stated that it was had no knowledge of any actual occurrences in which electric buses had been shut down, but warned that the vehicles were equipped with “subsystems with web connection and detection devices (imaging devices, audio recorders, location tracking) that can represent weaknesses which could be used to hinder bus operations”.
Manufacturer Statement and Information Protection
Yutong said it “rigorously follows with relevant regulations and commercial guidelines” and that vehicle terminal data in the EU were maintained at a data center in Frankfurt.
“These records is used exclusively for bus upkeep, optimisation and betterment to meet post-purchase service demands,” noted a company representative. “These details is secured through storage encryption and permission systems. No one is allowed to access this data without client approval.”
Government Reaction and Worries
An elected official stated that Denmark has been “much too sluggish” when it came to dependency regarding Chinese companies.
“This constitutes a huge problem. We should not be so dependent on a country that has principles and beliefs so distinct from Denmark,” he remarked. While Denmark was working to boost its strength amid claims of hybrid attacks by Russia, “it's hardly robust to be completely reliant on China”.
Transportation authorities in Norway chose not to respond on the matter.