Oslo tests reveal Chinese electric buses can be switched off remotely

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - Tests conducted in Norway revealed that Chinese-made electric buses operating in Oslo can be remotely stopped and disabled by their manufacturer in China.

According to a report by Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten on Tuesday, public transport operator Ruter secretly tested two electric buses this summer—one from a European manufacturer and another from China’s Yutong—to assess cybersecurity risks.

The tests revealed that the Chinese bus could be controlled remotely, while the European one could not.

According to Ruter, the manufacturer has access to each bus’s software updates, diagnostics, and battery control systems. “In theory, the bus could therefore be stopped or rendered unusable by the manufacturer,” the company said.

Ruter has reported its findings to Norway’s Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Arild Tjomsland, a special advisor at the University of South-Eastern Norway who helped conduct the tests, said: “The Chinese bus can be stopped, turned off, or receive updates that can destroy the technology that the bus needs to operate normally.”

He added that, while hackers and suppliers cannot steer the buses, stopping them could cause disruption or be used as leverage in a crisis.

Ruter CEO Bernt Reitan Jenssen said the company is now working with authorities to strengthen cybersecurity. “We need to involve all competent authorities that deal with cybersecurity, stand together, and draw on cutting-edge expertise,” he said.

Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygard praised Ruter for initiating the tests and said the government would assess risks related to vehicles from countries “with which Norway does not have security policy cooperation.”

Ruter operates over 300 Chinese-made buses in Oslo.

To prevent remote interference, Ruter says buses can be disconnected from the internet by removing their SIM cards, ensuring “local control should the need arise.”