Catenaa, Tuesday, November 18, 2025-The British government is investigating whether hundreds of Chinese-made electric buses operating in the United Kingdom could be remotely shut down by their manufacturer, Yutong, amid rising cybersecurity concerns across Europe.
Yutong said it complies with all EU data protection laws and collects only encrypted, vehicle-related maintenance data accessible solely with customer consent.
Officials from the Department for Transport and the National Cyber Security Centre are examining whether Yutong has remote access to vehicle control systems for diagnostics or software updates.
The review follows similar probes in Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands after authorities there found Yutong buses could be “stopped or rendered inoperable” by the Chinese firm.
Yutong, the world’s largest bus manufacturer, has supplied about 700 electric buses to the UK and is seeking entry into London’s market with a new double-decker model designed to meet Transport for London standards.
TfL said no Yutong buses are currently in service or on order and stressed that all vehicles must pass strict technical and safety testing.
The Department for Transport said it is coordinating closely with cybersecurity agencies to assess the findings of Scandinavian investigations.
Danish authorities determined that removing buses’ SIM cards could prevent remote control but would also disable key operational systems.
The inquiry underscores growing unease among Western governments over China’s technological presence in critical infrastructure and renewed debate in Parliament on whether to label Beijing a strategic threat.
UK investigates if Chinese firm Yutong can remotely disable electric buses, following similar cybersecurity probes in Denmark and Norway.
