Chinese Electric Buses' Remote Access Raises Security Concerns

Electric Buses from Chinese Manufacturer Yutong Raise Security Concerns in EuropeNorwegian transport operator Ruter discovered that Yutongs electric buses could be remotely stopped or made inoperable due to their over the air systems for diagnostics and software updates. This capability was uncovered during tests in an underground mine, where a Yutong bus and another from a Dutch maker were isolated and examined.The Chinese bus, a brand new electric model, uses a small device containing a SIM card for remote access to the bus and its onboard computers, which is also connected to the battery and power supply controls. No such vulnerability was found in the older Dutch-made bus tested alongside it.Ruter, which operates three hundred Yutong buses in Oslo, has removed all SIM cards from its vehicles and is developing firewalls and implementing stricter security requirements for future purchases. Yutong maintains that its European vehicles do not support remote control of acceleration, steering, or braking, and that all software updates require manual physical access and customer authorization.This situation echoes past concerns about Chinese technology and highlights the ongoing debate about trusting foreign-made tech in critical infrastructure.The Daily News Now! — Every city. Every story. AI-powered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.