UK to Investigate if Chinese Buses Can Be Remotely Controlled from China

After Norway conducted tests on a Chinese bus and said it identified vulnerabilities in its on-board systems, the UK launched its own investigation. Kind of like we hear about from time to time about US “connected cars”. Except these buses come from China.

These buses, made in China, are used in several EU countries and also in the UK.

Norway’s public bus operator Ruter says:

“The Chinese supplier has direct digital access to each individual bus for software updates and diagnostics, including access to the battery and power supply management system. In theory, the bus could therefore be stopped or rendered inoperable by the manufacturer.

“Currently, Ruter can disconnect the bus from the internet by removing the SIM card, as all connectivity to the network goes through this single point. This ensures that we retain local control if necessary,” it added.

https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/11/uk_probe_china_bus_claim

While the second option might stop the Chinese from hacking the buses, it also means that the bus company would not be able to manage their fleet of buses either.

The Chinese, of course, say problem, what problem? But it clearly IS a problem.

This is also a problem in any US or other country manufactured car or truck made in say the last 5+ years, but we think those companies are our friends. Maybe they are. Maybe not.

Credit: The Register

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