UK Probes Potential Remote Control of Chinese Buses

As of November 10th, 2025, the UK government is examining whether Chinese-manufactured Yutong buses used across the country could be susceptible to remote control or disruption by the buses' maker. This investigation comes in response to similar concerns raised by authorities in Norway and Denmark.

Yutong, a major global bus manufacturer, has exported nearly 110,000 vehicles to over 100 countries, capturing more than 10% of the worldwide market. In the UK, Yutong buses are utilized in various locations, including Bristol, Essex, Leicester, Nottingham, South Wales, and South Yorkshire.

However, an investigation conducted by Oslo's public transport service, Ruter, in Norway found that Yutong buses could theoretically be "stopped or rendered inoperable" by the manufacturer. Denmark also launched its own probe following the Norwegian findings.

While Ruter stated there was no evidence of Yutong attempting to control the buses, the discovery of the manufacturer's potential remote access capabilities has prompted the UK's Department for Transport and the National Cyber Security Centre to closely examine the issue. They are working to understand the technical basis for the actions taken by the Norwegian and Danish authorities.

The UK government takes these security concerns extremely seriously and is collaborating with the intelligence community to assess and mitigate any potential risks posed by the Chinese-made buses.