US lawmakers are panicking over Chinese EVs after Norway's startling 'kill switch' discovery

In wake of Norway’s startling ‘kill switch’ discovery, US lawmakers are now panicking over the rise of Chinese EVs.

When Chinese electric buses in Norway were found to have a ‘kill switch’ inside them, it sent shockwaves around the world.

And the headlines have reached the US, where politicians are calling for action.

US Rep. John Moolenar, representing Caledonia in Michigan, has led the charge for a clampdown on Chinese automakers in the country.

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Why the Chinese EVs in Norway are causing concern

This story first broke back in November, when Oslo added hundreds of new electric buses to its public transport network.

They’d been made by Chinese manufacturer Yutong, and looked good on the face of it.

After all, Norway has been hailed for its eco-friendly approach to driving, with 97 percent of all cars sold being electric.

However, some routine security testing flagged up an issue – the buses could be accessed remotely from servers.

Through that link, the buses could hypothetically be shut down.

This led to a nationwide review into foreign-built smart-infrastructure.

Believe it or not, the discovery was made when one of the buses was driven into a decommissioned mine.

The idea was to see if the bus could be remotely hacked – and this test revealed that they could be.

This sparked concern in Denmark and the United Kingdom, where Chinese made buses have also been rolled out.

And now the concerns have made their way to the US, where one member of the House of Representatives is calling for action.

At a hearing titled ‘Trojan Horse: China’s Auto Threat to America’, Michigan U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, led a panel discussion on the Chinese automotive industry.

One of his suggestions was to for stronger enforcement of American trade agreements to keep Chinese EVs from flooding the markets of the US and its allies.

He also urged for a ban of Chinese hardware and software from US vehicles, with more investment going into the domestic manufacturing.

What has the manufacturer said about the ‘kill switch’?

In the midst of all this controversy, Yutong put out a statement regarding the allegations coming out of Norway.

Yutong said it ‘strictly complies with the applicable laws, regulations, and industry standards of the locations where its vehicles operate’.

Yutong also said that the terminal data for its vehicles in the EU were stored in Frankfurt.

The company also said the data is only used for maintenance, optimization, and to improve the customers’ needs.

It is adamant that nobody can access or view the data of its vehicles without any customer authorization.

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