Key facts
- Chinese-made rental cars recorded sensitive military data during a Norwegian exercise.
- Recordings included access codes for military facilities.
- The vehicles were Deepal brand cars, supplied by Hertz Norge.
- Norway's military continued using the vehicles despite the security concerns.
- The Norwegian National Security Authority warned of risks from connected vehicles.
Chinese-made rental cars used during a Norwegian military exercise recorded sensitive information, including access codes to secure sites and details of personnel movements, raising espionage concerns. Soldiers participating in a security exercise at Oslo airport between September 14 and 18 discovered videos stored on the vehicles' onboard cameras. The recordings captured who was entering and exiting the cars, the routes taken, and security codes used to access military facilities. The vehicles were identified as Deepal brand cars, manufactured by China's Changan, and were supplied by Hertz Norge, which is indirectly owned by Geely. Lieutenant Colonel Per Gunnar Grosberghaugen of the Norwegian Home Guard confirmed the discovery of the videos. It remains unknown if the recordings were shared with any third parties, including in China. Despite the security risks, the military continued to use the vehicles due to a lack of alternatives, with soldiers deleting the accessible footage. Hertz Norge stated its compliance with regulations and assured customer data safety. The Norwegian National Security Authority highlighted that modern vehicles are essentially "rolling computers" and warned against excessive dependence on any single country for critical products and services.