Dutch intelligence agency warns connected cars could expose sensitive conversations and location data

The Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) warned on 30 September 2026 that connected cars could expose sensitive conversations and data about occupants and their surroundings. The Netherlands agency's advice is aimed especially at government and business staff who handle sensitive information. It describes possible espionage risks, rather than a documented incident involving a particular car.

In its published notice, the AIVD said modern vehicles increasingly use internet-connected systems that gather information about passengers, the vehicle itself, and people and objects nearby. The systems offer practical benefits, the agency said, while creating information that other parties, including state actors, may be able to access. Its accompanying explainer calls for awareness of those risks and offers ways to limit them.

How connected-car features could expose information

The concern extends beyond a car's journey history. Brussels Signal reported that microphones installed for voice control or emergency calls could technically be activated from outside a vehicle. That is an account of a potential capability, not evidence that someone has used a particular car to listen to its occupants. The AIVD's published notice does not identify a compromised vehicle or a known spying operation.

According to Brussels Signal, the AIVD advises people not to hold confidential conversations in or near a car. That warning matters most where a person's work makes their discussions or movements sensitive. The agency's notice explicitly singles out personnel in government and business whose jobs involve sensitive information, rather than identifying a particular group of ordinary drivers as victims of an attack.

What precautions the AIVD recommends

Brussels Signal reported that the agency's practical suggestions include avoiding Bluetooth or Wi-Fi phone pairing and wireless charging, and using a USB data blocker when a cable connection is necessary. It also reported advice to keep cars with outward-facing cameras away from sensitive sites. These measures address different ways a vehicle might collect or transfer information; they are especially relevant to someone whose work requires discretion.

The precautions have limits. Brussels Signal said the AIVD cautioned that they do not cover every case, because occupants generally have little control over data collected or sent automatically by a vehicle. The agency's notice gives no number of affected cars and no estimate of how likely misuse is. It announces awareness advice, rather than a recall, enforcement measure or finding against a manufacturer.

Why the warning has drawn attention in the UK

The Guardian placed the Dutch warning alongside British concerns about Chinese-made vehicles. It reported, citing the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, that Chinese-owned brands made up 15% of new UK car registrations in the first half of 2026, or nearly 175,000 vehicles. Those sales figures describe a growing part of the market; they are not evidence that those vehicles have been used for espionage.

The Guardian also reported that British defence firms warned staff last year against pairing phones with Chinese-made electric cars because of possible data extraction. It said the UK Ministry of Defence was working with other departments to understand and mitigate potential national-security threats from vehicles, and reported restrictions on cars with Chinese parts at some sensitive military sites this year. Those British measures provide context for concern about connected cars, while the AIVD's own warning does not name China or any car brand.