Britain's roads could face gridlock from remotely disabled buses if councils continue snapping up cheaper Chinese-made electric vehicles, a leading security figure has warned.

Hundreds of Chinese electric buses fitted with onboard SIM cards capable of remote deactivation have already been bought by UK councils eager to replace ageing fleets while meeting tight budgets and environmental targets. Experts fear the trend will accelerate now the Government is devolving more spending powers to local authorities, who are increasingly drawn to the lower cost of Chinese vehicles.

Luke de Pulford, co-founder of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said giving regions more control over spending risks “an increasing amount of the purchasing of risky Chinese tech outsourced to councils.” He noted that pressure to procure green vehicles, combined with cheaper Chinese pricing, pushes local authorities toward Beijing-linked suppliers for buses carrying “senior citizens and everybody else.”

The National Cyber Security Centre has already found it “technically possible” for Chinese-built electric buses operating in Britain to be remotely halted by Beijing, and the Ministry of Defence has banned Chinese EVs over spying concerns. Intelligence officials have also flagged risks from built-in microphones, cameras and GPS trackers that could enable eavesdropping or reveal drivers' home addresses.

Iain Duncan Smith, IPAC co-chair, called for the Government to impose heavy tariffs on Chinese vehicles, arguing they are "artificially cheaper" due to illegal subsidies from the Chinese Communist Party. He warned internet-connected components could theoretically be exploited to sabotage not just buses but other systems, including energy grids and medical devices.

Around 640 Yutong buses already run in England, including 62 owned by Nottingham City Transport and six by Leicester City Council, while Scotland's government has earmarked half of a new £45m zero-emissions bus fund for Yutong vehicles. First Bus operates over 300 Yutong buses across towns including Aberdeen and Taunton, while Stagecoach runs more than 200, recently adding 22 more with Surrey County Council. Norway's Ruter transport operator tightened security on its own Yutong fleet after a 2025 investigation.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has described continued use of Yutong buses in England as a "managed risk" meeting current security standards. A government spokesperson insisted there was "no cause for passenger concern," adding that robust action would be taken against any supplier posing a threat. Yutong itself has said its buses cannot be remotely controlled since internet-enabled software is separate from driving controls like braking and steering.

Graeme Downie MP, chair of the Coalition on Secure Technology, said new devolved powers could help raise awareness among council leaders of a threat that is "already there."

Source: The i Paper

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