The investigation was prompted by concerns raised by Norwegian transport authorities, who also use Yutong buses. They noted that the Chinese manufacturer can update the software and conduct diagnostics, which in turn opens the possibility for interference with the buses while they are in motion.
For safety reasons, the Norwegian agency Ruter conducted testing of two electric buses in isolated conditions. The results showed that to prevent remote shutdown, it is necessary to remove the SIM cards from the buses.
“The test results revealed risks that we are now addressing. We have informed national and local authorities, who should assist in implementing additional measures at the national level,” commented Ruter's CEO Bernt Reitan Jenssen.Ruter also plans to implement stricter security measures for future purchases.
Movia, Denmark's largest transport company, currently operates 469 Chinese electric buses, of which 262 were produced by Yutong.
Movia's Chief Operating Officer Jeppe Gaard reported that last week he received information that “electric buses, like electric cars, can be deactivated remotely if their software is connected to the internet.” He also added that this is an issue not only for Chinese buses but for all vehicles and devices with Chinese electronics.
The Danish Agency for Civil Protection and Emergency Management expressed concerns about the subsystems embedded in the buses, such as internet connections, cameras, microphones, and GPS. They fear that these features may be vulnerable, potentially leading to malfunctions of the electric buses and their misuse.
Yutong, for its part, stated that it strictly adheres to all regulations and standards. It also noted that data from terminals in the European Union is stored in an Amazon Web Services (AWS) data center in Frankfurt.
“This data is used solely for the maintenance and improvement of the vehicles, as well as to meet customer needs for after-sales service. Access to it is protected by encryption and access control. No one can access the data without the customer's permission. Yutong strictly complies with EU data protection laws and regulations,” added a company representative.
The Danish Transport Agency reported intentions to tighten security requirements for future purchases. The largest transport company, Movia, currently operates 469 Chinese electric buses, of which 262 are produced by Yutong.
It is also worth noting that Bishkek has signed a contract for the supply of Yutong buses.
