A user has claimed that a popular brand of electric car sold in Australia has a hidden backdoor that allows the manufacturer to eavesdrop on conversations.
After witnessing an explosive month that demonstrated the frightening potential of technology warfare, the topic of electric cars and their hacking potential is once again in the global spotlight.
A driver who owns a BYD car, a Chinese electric car brand, claimed that the software could listen to his conversations.
He explained that a car's internal SIM could be dialed externally, and audio from inside the car could be transmitted to the caller without the driver's knowledge.
In the video, the owner dials the car's SIM number and audio from inside the car is transmitted to the mobile phone, but there is no indication that a call is being made on the car's touchscreen or digital display.
Even more concerning is that there doesn't seem to be a way to end calls from the vehicle.
It has been reported that the only indication that a call is in progress is the audio mute, and the problem persists even when the car is turned off.
Article published by careexpert.com This issue was also highlighted in January 2023.
“I couldn't disconnect the secret call from my car by opening the phone app or pressing the answer/hang-up button on the steering wheel,” the owner said.
“Atto 3 customers in Australia could not imagine having the privacy of their car even if someone was spying on them, as they could receive calls even if their mobile phones were turned off. I can’t.”
One user reported receiving multiple calls through the SIM, suggesting that the SIM was recycled.
“I somehow got calls to my car from 4 different people…At first I thought someone was connecting to my Bluetooth, but after the 4th time I somehow got calls to my car… I thought it was calling my SIM number,” the user said, adding that both parties were confused during the call. phone.
BYD's Australian distributor, EVDirect, quickly responded to the issue.
Managing director Luke Todd claimed it was working with SIM provider Telstra to resolve the issue.
“There is no risk of exposure for people obtaining car owner details,” Mr Todd said.
“We expect a resolution within 48 hours. All data and SIM information will be held securely by Telstra.”
While eSIMs are becoming more common in modern vehicles, this seems to be a problem specific to BYD in Australia. Other automakers have not reported similar concerns that outside parties could dial into a vehicle's SIM and eavesdrop on the cabin.
Despite the Atto 3 becoming Australia's third best-selling EV, the brand faced some challenges along the way.
BYD had to suspend sales to resolve child seat anchor point non-compliance and faced delays in achieving a 5-star local ANCAP safety rating.
Meanwhile, senior automotive journalist Paul Gover told Sky News this week that the Australian government “doesn't know” what Chinese electric cars can achieve.
BYD Australia has been contacted for comment.
But no amount of firefighting by companies can erase the suspicions planted in the United States, which seems locked in by decades of competition with China, especially for technological superiority.
The privacy of American citizens appears to be of paramount importance, at least when personal data is flowing to the “wrong” government.
The broader issue of possible backdoors into privately owned EVs was revisited last week as details of a US plan to ban Chinese-made EVs, citing espionage and national security concerns, were reported.
Activists have renewed their calls to outlaw EVs, especially in China, echoing similar campaigns against the Chinese-owned social media platforms that run the country.
“Today's cars are equipped with internet-connected cameras, microphones, GPS tracking, and other technology. If a foreign adversary were to access this information, it would pose a serious threat to both national security and citizen privacy. It doesn't take much imagination to understand the potential risks it poses,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.
“In extreme circumstances, a foreign adversary could simultaneously shut down or take control of all vehicles operating in the United States.”
“We have already seen enough evidence. [China] “We are pre-positioning malware on critical infrastructure for disruption and sabotage,” added US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
“And with potentially millions of vehicles on the road with lifespans of 10 to 15 years, the risk of disruption and sabotage increases dramatically.”
