Are Chinese electric buses a safety threat in Britain?

On November 10, 2025, the Daily Mail reported that Yutong electric buses manufactured in China could pose a security risk in the United Kingdom. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

According to the information, the special system installed on these electric buses allows them to be remotely controlled or shut down. Since 2018, more than 2,500 Yutong electric buses have been purchased in the UK.

This situation has been met with concern by some politicians. In particular, former party leaders have called on the government to stop purchasing these buses and to replace them with other vehicles.

British politician Iain Duncan Smith expressed his opinion on the matter, saying, “They are choosing a low price, but these technologies have surveillance capabilities. The installed systems can collect data and be remotely controlled.

We need to reconsider our relations with China,” he said. The UK Department for Transport has begun investigating the issue.

The department is working with the National Cyber Security Centre to study the causes of the problem and find solutions. Representatives of Yutong company emphasized that all legislative requirements are being met and stated that the electric buses cannot be remotely controlled.

In a company statement, it was said, “No one can access the systems without the customer's permission. Our electric buses in Europe do not support remote acceleration, steering, or brake control,” it said.