Are Chinese EVs a national security risk?
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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In Australia, they've been flooding our roads, relatively cheap Chinese EVs. But you won't find many in America because, yes, they have 100% tariff on them, but they're also banned for security reasons.
Why are Chinese electric vehicles suddenly common on Australian roads?
The latest victim to be kicked out of the US market is Polster, which is a Swedish-based but Chinese-owned company. Today's cyber security expert and former advisor to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Alistair McGibbon, on the US ban and why we might be too relaxed about the risks here. I'm Sam Hawley on Gadigal land in Sydney. This is ABC News Daily.
Why have the US imposed tariffs and bans on Chinese EVs?
Alastair, Donald Trump and the former President Joe Biden, they never really saw eye to eye on much. But in one area, they're in furious agreement, and that is the risks of Chinese EVs.
Well, the Biden administration announced a ban on Chinese electric vehicles, particularly the software and the hardware that's inside those vehicles that they saw as a potential threat surveillance threat and also a broader threat to their national security. And as you said, the Trump administration appears to continue down that line.
What is the US ban on Polestar and why does ownership matter more than manufacturing?
Yeah, OK, so successive US administrations, first Joe Biden, now Donald Trump, they do believe that the Chinese EVs pose a risk to national security because their operating systems, what, they could send sensitive information to Beijing.
Well, by the nature of the vehicles, they are connected. So unlike a traditional older vehicle that we would have grown up with, where you put petrol in a tank, you put in a key and you drive the vehicle and you're in complete control of it. A modern connected vehicle is by its nature connected. Therefore, the software and the firmware of that vehicle is updated by the manufacturer. And the U.S., actions relate essentially to not where a vehicle is manufactured but where it is controlled from because theoretically if you are able to update the software continuously then you can collect information from that same vehicle and you can do other things like change the functionality of the vehicle and that's where the rub is when it comes to the us policy
Of course, we saw the car manufacturer Polestar banned from selling any new vehicles in the United States market from next year. Now, that's actually a Swedish brand, but it's majority owned by a Chinese automaker.
Yeah, my understanding is that even the Polestar that's manufactured in the United States is It hasn't got authority to operate. And that goes to the line of controlled by China rather than made in China. In this case, my understanding is some of the vehicles that will be banned are even manufactured in the United States. And it goes to the concept there of the mix of technology inside the vehicles. The reality is, again, these vehicles require technology. constant connectivity with the manufacturer. And the fear is that they can collect information or they could direct the vehicle to behave in a manner that isn't, I guess, in the brochure.
How do connected vehicle systems create surveillance and control risks?
Okay, all right. Well, Alistair, why don't we turn to the policies here? Because, of course, in Australia, we have not gone down the same path as the United States. In fact, Polster recorded a near 40% increase in sales in Australia last year. So they're really popular. And we know, of course, that the Chinese-made BYD, you know, is hugely popular here. I mean, you see them all over the place, don't you?
Look, absolutely. There's no doubt they've been an incredible success story and growth area in the car industry. And look, let me just for the record say I understand why Australia hasn't and likely never will take the same path that the US government has.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–1:02
2
Why are Chinese electric vehicles suddenly common on Australian roads?
1:02–1:37
3
Why have the US imposed tariffs and bans on Chinese EVs?
1:37–2:22
4
What is the US ban on Polestar and why does ownership matter more than manufacturing?
2:22–4:46
5
How do connected vehicle systems create surveillance and control risks?
4:46–6:39
6
What security guidance have Australian agencies given about using connected cars?
6:39–10:52
7
How could Chinese-made EVs be used as weapons or to cause physical harm?
10:52–12:39
8
What policy options could Australia pursue to manage data and telemetry risks?
12:39–15:44