Rental cars used in Norwegian military exercise recorded footage of soldiers
Rental vehicles used in a military exercise in Norway in September recorded footage of soldiers, their routes and door security codes, it has emerged. At least two of the vehicles were reportedly made by Chinese brand Deepal.
The security of data collected by connected cars is under scrutiny again, this time following a report from Norway. According to the Norwegian business daily Dagens Næringsliv, rental vehicles used in a military exercise called Operation Hovedstad in September recorded sensitive information about the soldiers inside them. At least two of the vehicles are said to have been made by Chinese carmaker Deepal.
The issue was discovered by soldiers from the Home Guard (Heimevernet) taking part in the exercise. According to Lt. Fredrik Blanck, some soldiers found videos stored in the vehicles' systems after driving the cars for some time.
What was recorded?
Blanck's account suggests the recordings were extensive. The footage showed who got in and out of the vehicles, where the cars went, who was picked up as passengers and how long the vehicles waited at various locations. Security codes used for doors and access points were also reportedly captured.
The recordings were deleted from the vehicles after the exercise. However, it is not yet known whether the data was stored anywhere outside the vehicles.
Geely link in the rental deal
In 2024, the Norwegian Defence Logistics Organisation signed a nationwide vehicle rental framework agreement covering June 2024 to May 2028. The agreement's maximum value was set at 350 million Norwegian kroner. The primary supplier is First Rent A Car Norway, which runs Hertz's operations in Norway. The company's ownership structure traces back to China-based Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.
Today's cars can collect a wide range of data, including GPS location, driving habits and sensor information. The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency did not disclose what terms the agreement contains regarding cameras, sensors, GPS, remote access and data storage. Aleksander Engborg Hage of the Norwegian Armed Forces press office said they were aware of issues related to vehicles and electronic systems, but that there is no general ban on using vehicles from manufacturers in specific countries.
Parallels with the debate in Turkey
The development echoes a warning raised recently in Turkey. Mahmut Faruk Akşit, general manager of TUSAŞ Motor Sanayii (TEI), a Turkish aircraft engine manufacturer, said in an Oct. 11 statement that foreign electric vehicles are not allowed onto the campuses of TEI, ASELSAN, ROKETSAN and HAVELSAN, all Turkish defense companies. Akşit noted that the cameras and sensors in these vehicles can map their surroundings, while the software and control are not in the hands of the institutions.
This article was compiled with the help of AI from information published by Habertürk.
