Chinese Cars Spy on Norwegian Military Exercise

During a recent Norwegian military exercise at Oslo airport, sensitive information was captured by Chinese-made rental cars. Soldiers discovered videos from the vehicles' sensors that recorded personnel movements, routes, and access codes for military facilities. These vehicles, identified as Deepal brand cars indirectly owned by Chinese automaker Changan and supplied by Hertz Norge, posed a significant security risk.

The Norwegian Home Guard confirmed the discovery of the stored videos, though it remains unknown if the data was shared with third parties, including in China. The military continued to use the vehicles throughout the exercise due to limited alternatives, with soldiers deleting the recordings afterward. This incident underscores the vulnerability of connected vehicles, even when used in critical security operations.

Authorities are considering site-specific security measures rather than a blanket ban on Chinese-made vehicles, judging the potential security gain of a ban to be disproportionate. This situation mirrors past concerns, such as Yutong electric buses having a theoretical remote immobilization capability. Modern vehicles are increasingly seen as 'rolling computers' whose data collection and transmission pathways require scrutiny.