EU Lawmakers Urge BYD Security Probe, BYD Denies Remote Access

According to RFI Chinese, over 14 European Parliament members urged the European Commission to evaluate BYD vehicles for security risks and consider restrictions. BYD stated that customer data cannot be remotely accessed from China and is not shared with Chinese entities.

Prepared from public sources with AI assistance. This is not independent verification of every reported claim.

European Parliament Inquiry and Context

Reuters reported that more than 14 European Parliament members submitted a written question urging the European Commission to evaluate whether BYD poses a security threat and consider restricting it from public procurement or listing it as a high-risk supplier.

French MEP Francois Kalfon, who led the initiative, cited Chinese legislation in the query text and separately wrote to French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to urge measures against potential spying risks from connected Chinese vehicles.

US Military Action and Incidents

The report noted that the US military banned BYD vehicles from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, last month, citing unacceptable and unmitigated risks without detailing specific security hazards.

The MEP also referenced unspecified measures taken by Poland, the UK, and Israel, and claimed Norwegian soldiers noticed rented Chinese cars recording activities and access passwords during a military exercise.

BYD Response and Policy Framework

BYD stated in a statement to Reuters that data processed or stored in the cloud or inside vehicles cannot be remotely accessed from China, customers retain data control, and BYD Europe does not provide such data to Chinese entities or third parties.

The report indicated that while the EU proposed public tendering rules in September to increase the proportion of local components, BYD could still potentially participate in public procurement due to its existing plant in Hungary and planned European factories.