An Australian BYD electric vehicle (EV) owner has recently made a shocking claim that his car is spying on him. According to the driver, the vehicle’s SIM card allows third parties to listen in on conversations happening inside the car. This startling revelation has sparked widespread concern and debate about the privacy and security of Chinese-made electric cars in Australia.
The Australian driver, who shared his experience on social media, demonstrated how the car’s SIM card could be called from an external phone, allowing the caller to hear what was happening inside the vehicle. In his video, he called the car’s SIM and was able to hear audio from inside the car without any indication on the car’s digital display that a call was taking place. Even more troubling, the call could not be terminated from inside the vehicle, and this issue persisted even when the car was turned off.
Chinese-made electric vehicles, including brands like BYD, MG, and Geely, account for more than 80% of the EVs sold in Australia. The popularity of these brands has been rising due to their affordability and advanced features. However, the recent claims about potential security risks have cast a shadow over their growing market presence.
According to dailymail, Former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has called for Australia to consider banning Chinese-made EVs, following the lead of the United States, which has raised similar concerns. Joyce warned that these vehicles could be weaponized for “malevolent purposes,” highlighting the potential for remote control or surveillance.
“After the pager issue, the penny dropped for so many people that there is a capacity remotely to create massive pain, massive hurt, maybe at the least to create complete breakdown and chaos,” Joyce said, referring to past incidents where remote technology was used for harmful purposes.
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Despite these concerns, both the Australian Labor and Coalition parties have ruled out a ban on Chinese-made vehicles. Australia’s Energy Minister Chris Bowen emphasized the importance of consumer choice, stating, “We won’t be banning vehicles made in any particular country. We’ll continue to work with all relevant agencies to ensure that all necessary arrangements are in place, but I want Australians to have more choice of vehicles to buy, not less.”
BYD’s Australian distributor, EVDirect, responded quickly to the driver’s claims. Luke Todd, Managing Director of EVDirect, assured the public that they were working with Telstra, the SIM provider, to resolve the issue. “There is no risk of exposure for people obtaining car owners’ details,” Todd stated. “All data and SIM information is held securely by Telstra.”
The potential security risks associated with Chinese-made EVs have broader implications for national security. According to nypost, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo recently expressed concerns about the internet-operated cameras, microphones, and GPS tracking in these vehicles, stating, “It doesn’t take much imagination to understand how a foreign adversary with access to this information could pose a serious risk to both our national security and the privacy of citizens.”
“Cars today have cameras, microphones, GPS tracking and other technologies connected to the internet. It doesn’t take much imagination to understand how a foreign adversary with access to this information could pose a serious risk to both our national security and the privacy of citizens,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said.
“In an extreme situation, foreign adversaries could shut down or take control of all their vehicles operating in the United States all at the same time.”
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“Cars today have cameras, microphones, GPS tracking and other technologies connected to the internet. It doesn’t take much imagination to understand how a foreign adversary with access to this information could pose a serious risk to both our national security and the privacy of citizens,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said.
“In an extreme situation, foreign adversaries could shut down or take control of all their vehicles operating in the United States all at the same time.”
As the debate continues, consumers remain concerned about the privacy and security of their vehicles. Another BYD owner reported similar issues, stating that they had received multiple calls through their car’s SIM, suggesting it may have been recycled. The owner could not end these calls from inside the vehicle, raising further privacy concerns.
The issue of privacy in modern vehicles is not unique to BYD. With the increasing integration of technology in cars, including cameras, microphones, and GPS, the potential for misuse by third parties remains a critical concern.
