AUSTRALIA is reviewing the security of Chinese-made electric buses after researchers flagged cyber risks and the possibility of a kill switch. Since 2023, the country has about 133 electric city buses and 12 electric charter or coach buses, all manufactured by Yutong Bus of Zhengzhou, China, with a 2023 shift toward electric public transport.
The debate intensified after concerns over batteries allegedly built by Uyghur slaves and questions about national security, though researchers found no purpose-built kill switch and no data-collection systems unique to these buses. Ruter’s tests showed Yutong’s control system can connect to the Web and access the CAN bus and power management via a mobile network, suggesting possible remote hacking or compromised updates, but the report also noted no inherently malicious design.
As of 22 January 2026, Transport Canberra and others emphasise safeguards, including limited remote updates, while Ban-style measures remain debated given potential economic and political consequences. The analysis is framed as highlighting general connected-vehicle IoT risks rather than a definitive Chinese-generated threat. According to ABC, a Yutong spokesperson said telematics can be disabled by power or SIM removal, and a Bugcrowd founder described the threats as more likely data exfiltration and surveillance.