Global militaries ban foreign electric cars from bases over data security risks

Critical defense sites are increasingly restricting the presence of foreign electric and smart vehicles on their premises as governments worldwide shield their militaries against espionage and data security risks.

Such measures, adopted across Europe, North America and Asia, have also recently been adopted by major Turkish defense firms, including Aselsan, Roketsan, Havelsan and Turkish Aerospace Industries' (TAI) Engine Industries (TEI) subsidiary.

Experts warn that smart and electric vehicles (EVs) pose threats with their advanced sensors, external cameras, high-gain microphones and live GPS tracking, as these vehicles map their surroundings and transmit data to proprietary servers owned by foreign manufacturers.

For instance, Poland enacted a ban in February 2026, barring Chinese vehicles from entering defense installations due to surveillance risks.

The Polish army also banned defense personnel from pairing their mobile devices with the in-vehicle infotainment systems of Chinese cars, saying these measures were aimed at protecting the defense infrastructure of NATO allies.

In Czechia, authorities restricted Chinese-made cars, including specific Tesla and Volvo models made in China, from accessing military facilities and nearby security zones.

These measures expanded to Czech industrial infrastructure after the ORLEN Group banned Chinese-assembled cars from entering or parking at petrochemical refineries.

Meanwhile, Germany's military and intelligence bodies implemented strict parking bans for Chinese cars, reports show.

Public broadcasters WDR and NDR said the parking lot of the Bundeswehr Operational Command in Schwielowsee, near Potsdam, does not allow Chinese cars to be parked. Owners of such vehicles are allowed to park in designated areas.

Similar restrictions are reportedly in place at German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) facilities.

The German Defense Ministry confirmed bans within designated high-security zones but declined to publish specific restricted models for security reasons.

At the same time, the UK's defense installations expanded local screening procedures, with several bases no longer allowing Chinese-made models, even though the UK Defense Ministry said there was no central regulation banning such vehicles from entering all military facilities.

Switzerland placed targeted restrictions on always-online vehicles around critical electronic installations, including the Zimmerwald Electronic Warfare Center near Bern.

France's counterintelligence agency, DRSD, warned defense installations potential espionage vulnerabilities involving Chinese BYD-made and Tesla vehicles.

Meanwhile, the US advanced federal legislation to keep foreign always-online vehicles off sensitive military bases.

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 included provisions banning foreign-linked connected vehicles from entering Defense Department bases starting July 1, 2027.

These measures follow earlier Commerce Department rules phasing out the import and sale of vehicle software and hardware tied to Chinese and Russian firms.

At the same time, China is also among the countries establishing restrictions. In fact, the country set an early precedent in 2021 by banning Tesla vehicles from military facilities and government compounds due to concerns over unauthorized data logging.

Beijing eased some restrictions in 2024 after Tesla complied with China's data standards, but strict bans on foreign software and hardware remain across state organs.

Russia tightened perimeter controls on electronic devices and connected transport at its defense plants.

State agencies and defense firms like Rostec enforced parallel bans on Western technology, such as a ban on Apple hardware for official use due to concerns over espionage.

Similar to the rest of the world, Turkish aerospace and defense campuses also barred foreign EVs due to their numerous sensors and the mapping data they transmit to foreign entities, TEI CEO Mahmut Faruk Aksit said in a recent statement.

The synchronized global crackdown on foreign technology, especially foreign-made EVs, showed how the evolution of civilian EVs turned smart mobility into a frontier of military counterintelligence.

contact_the_ombudsman

is_there_an_error_in_this_story