The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has warned that networked Chinese electric vehicles carry security risks from potential external access. According to the agency’s statement requested by the “Handelsblatt”, attackers could gain unauthorized entry to a vehicle’s internet interface-whether via Wi‑Fi or mobile data-and thereby harvest information. The data at risk include trip details, vehicle telemetry, and possibly recordings from the interior. The BfV noted that such access could, in theory, allow attackers to seize control of the vehicle.
The office also highlighted dangers in how vehicle data is processed. Manufacturers might be compelled to collect and forward this information to state authorities or intelligence services, especially in countries where corporations are legally obliged to ensure state information sovereignty, such as China. The shared data could be used for training artificial‑intelligence systems or for facial‑recognition purposes. Drawing parallels with the close cooperation between industry and state structures in China-and also in Russia-the BfV stated that there are currently no concrete findings confirming Chinese technical espionage embedded in these electric cars.