Poland is starting to limit the use of cars from China. Because the Chinese are leaders in the development of smart cars. And the data collected by such cars can be used for espionage and cyberattacks.
"We tend to think of the car simply as a vehicle that gets us from point A to point B", says Paulina Uznanska, an analyst at the Center for Eastern Studies in Warsaw and author of a widely commented report titled "Smartphones on Wheels - Smart Cars from China and Cybersecurity in Europe" .
In an interview with Polish radio station TokFM, the author of the report explained: "The Chinese are world leaders in the development of smart cars. These cars are equipped with numerous sensors, with state-of-the-art cameras and radar devices that allow for the collection of a large amount of data - both inside and outside the car. "And in the worst case, this data can be used for espionage, cyberattacks or even for military purposes.
Parking ban near strategic sites
This warning has already reached the Polish Ministry of Defense. Although there is still no official decision, the ministry confirmed to the media that cars from Chinese manufacturers will no longer be able to drive on military terrain or park near strategically important sites. It is also planned to prohibit military personnel from connecting their official smartphones to the on-board computers of Chinese cars.
The planned measure is primarily a precautionary measure, says political scientist and Asia expert Marcin Przychodniak. "It is comparable to a vaccine against a disease that is not certain whether it will break out, but there is a very real risk", the expert points out.
Boom in sales of new Chinese cars
So far, the potential threats from the technology built into Chinese cars have not been the subject of serious debate in Poland. On the contrary: in the last year alone, sales of new cars from China have quadrupled.
There are good reasons for this, explains Polish car expert Kamil Makula: Chinese cars are not only 15 to 20 percent cheaper on average, but also offer very good technological equipment. "Poles love technology. They like electronics and technological innovations. That's why they quickly change their TVs and computers."
How China regulates cars from abroad
The more smart cars drive on European roads, the more precise and detailed the data they collect becomes. That is why in her report, Paulina Uznanska also examines how the Chinese themselves approach such technologies in cars from foreign manufacturers.
"We observe that the Chinese approach foreign manufacturers of smart cars with great caution. They are aware that there are real risks - and they are trying to protect themselves from them with their own regulatory system," explains Uznanska. They do this, for example, through strict rules and procedures for licensing foreign companies, which are periodically updated depending on technological developments.
It would be good for Europe to take a closer look at these rules, Uznanska urges in this regard. While the EU is currently assessing the cybersecurity risks associated with smart cars, Europe is currently lagging behind China in this area.