Dealer body calls for clearer connected-car rules after BYD hacking report
Four Corners’ BYD hacking test has sharpened scrutiny of connected-car data practices, prompting dealer and privacy calls for clearer rules as BYD revises its Australian privacy policy.
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Dealer body presses for clearer connected-car rules
Australia’s peak new-car dealer body has called for stronger coordination between car companies and the federal government on how connected vehicles collect, store and protect data. Australian Automotive Dealer Association chief executive James Voortman said dealers are increasingly fielding customer questions about what information new vehicles collect, what can be accessed remotely and what protections are in place to keep them secure. He said buyers deserve clear answers and urged collaboration between automakers, regulators, security agencies and other stakeholders so the industry can provide confidence and understand the future regulatory settings. 110
Four Corners’ BYD demonstration
The scrutiny follows a Four Corners investigation aired by the ABC on 21 September, which focused on the BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute. In a controlled demonstration on a country road outside Canberra, cybersecurity researcher Dan Hreszczuk spent two weeks testing the vehicle and then showed he could access it remotely through an entry point that did not require a password. During the drive, he remotely switched on the wipers, sprayed the windscreen, turned the headlights on and off, played audio through the speakers, displayed images on the infotainment screen and locked the doors while the journalist was inside. The ABC also reported that Hreszczuk could track the ute in real time and access its microphone, which he used to listen in on a call and later extract personal information. Across the ABC and Security Affairs accounts, Hreszczuk said the car’s brakes and cameras were not accessible in the test because they were better protected. 23547
Privacy policy change and data questions
A separate ABC report on 22 September said BYD removed references to “China” and “surveillance” from its Australian privacy policy shortly after being asked questions by Four Corners. The earlier policy said the company could collect, hold, use and disclose information through “surveillance activities” for suspected illegal or improper activities, while also naming China as one of the countries where data could be sent. The updated policy no longer contained those references and said it had been reviewed and updated; however, both versions said data collected from Australian vehicles is stored in Australia, and BYD said it had not and would not transfer Australian data to Chinese authorities. 912
Regulatory backdrop and wider concern
The issue lands amid broader concern about connected-car regulation in Australia. The Australian Electric Vehicle Association has called for tougher laws, saying the existing mix of the Privacy Act 1988 and voluntary standards is not sufficient for internet-enabled vehicles and warning that most new vehicles sold in Australia by 2035 are expected to be connected. Separately, the ABC reported that the Privacy Commissioner was investigating Toyota and Hyundai over how they collect, use and obtain consent for personal data, while the federal government has released draft privacy reforms that explicitly refer to risks from connected vehicles. The ABC’s other Four Corners coverage also noted that Chinese-made cameras from Dahua, previously removed from federal buildings, were found in Leapmotor vehicles, reinforcing concern around the data and sensor capabilities built into modern EVs. 8961
How the issue is being framed
The core of the debate, as presented in the reporting, is not limited to sabotage. The ABC and CarExpert both quoted former national cyber security adviser Alastair MacGibbon saying connected vehicles can function as surveillance devices because they carry cameras, microphones and networked software. Opposition defence spokesman James Paterson said Chinese-connected EVs are the highest-risk product in the market and argued current rules do not clearly state what data can be collected, stored or transmitted. At the same time, the evidence in the BYD demonstration remains specific: it showed remote access to selected functions and audio, not access to every vehicle system, and the reporting did not establish that any Australian customer data had been handed to Chinese authorities. 1386
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- abc.net.au5 pages
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- 'Urgent' calls for greater transparency on data collection ...News publisherSource extract saved
Why these labels?'Urgent' calls for greater transparency on data collection ...
Who produced it
Publishes automotive news and reviews and operates a car-buying service connecting buyers with dealers. Identity reference ↗
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Cited in 4 paragraphs: Dealer body presses for clearer connected-car rules; Privacy policy change and data questions; Regulatory backdrop and wider concern; How the issue is being framed.
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Text retrieved 23 Sept 2026. The retained extract did not reach our text limit. Extraction can still omit page content.
- Chinese-made EV vulnerable to hacking - ABC listenRole not assessedShortened extract saved
Why these labels?Chinese-made EV vulnerable to hacking - ABC listen
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Cited in 2 paragraphs: Four Corners’ BYD demonstration; Privacy policy change and data questions.
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Text retrieved 23 Sept 2026. The retained extract was cut to our text limit; omitted material has not been assessed here.
- Australians love these cars. Experts have 'real security concerns'Role not assessedSource extract saved
Why these labels?Australians love these cars. Experts have 'real security concerns'
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We have not documented this publisher’s role. An unassigned label is not a negative rating.
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Cited in 2 paragraphs: Four Corners’ BYD demonstration; How the issue is being framed.
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Text retrieved 23 Sept 2026. The retained extract did not reach our text limit. Extraction can still omit page content.
- A BYD Shark 6 Hack Shows the Risks of Connected CarsRole not assessedSource extract saved
Why these labels?A BYD Shark 6 Hack Shows the Risks of Connected Cars
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Cited in 1 paragraph: Four Corners’ BYD demonstration.
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Text retrieved 23 Sept 2026. The retained extract did not reach our text limit. Extraction can still omit page content.
- Security flaws in top-selling BYD EV - ABC listenRole not assessedSource extract saved
Why these labels?Security flaws in top-selling BYD EV - ABC listen
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Cited in 1 paragraph: Four Corners’ BYD demonstration.
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Text retrieved 23 Sept 2026. The retained extract did not reach our text limit. Extraction can still omit page content.
- Chinese-made cameras banned from government buildings show up in EVsRole not assessedSource extract saved
Why these labels?Chinese-made cameras banned from government buildings show up in EVs
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We have not documented this publisher’s role. An unassigned label is not a negative rating.
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Cited in 2 paragraphs: Regulatory backdrop and wider concern; How the issue is being framed.
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Text retrieved 23 Sept 2026. The retained extract did not reach our text limit. Extraction can still omit page content.
- Hacking this BYD was too easy. It didn't even have a passwordRole not assessedSource extract saved
Why these labels?Hacking this BYD was too easy. It didn't even have a password
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Cited in 1 paragraph: Four Corners’ BYD demonstration.
This describes its use in our report. It does not establish the source’s editorial stance or independently corroborate every claim.
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Text retrieved 23 Sept 2026. The retained extract did not reach our text limit. Extraction can still omit page content.
- Australian Government urged to tighten connected-car data laws | CarExpertNews publisherSource extract saved
Why these labels?Australian Government urged to tighten connected-car data laws | CarExpert
Who produced it
Publishes automotive news and reviews and operates a car-buying service connecting buyers with dealers. Identity reference ↗
How this report uses it
Cited in 2 paragraphs: Regulatory backdrop and wider concern; How the issue is being framed.
This describes its use in our report. It does not establish the source’s editorial stance or independently corroborate every claim.
Evidence record
Text retrieved 23 Sept 2026. The retained extract did not reach our text limit. Extraction can still omit page content.
- EV brand BYD erases 'China' and 'surveillance' from its privacy policyRole not assessedSource extract saved
Why these labels?EV brand BYD erases 'China' and 'surveillance' from its privacy policy
Who produced it
We have not documented this publisher’s role. An unassigned label is not a negative rating.
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Cited in 2 paragraphs: Privacy policy change and data questions; Regulatory backdrop and wider concern.
This describes its use in our report. It does not establish the source’s editorial stance or independently corroborate every claim.
Evidence record
Text retrieved 23 Sept 2026. The retained extract did not reach our text limit. Extraction can still omit page content.
- Car NewsNews publisherSource extract saved
Why these labels?Car News
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Publishes automotive news and reviews and operates a car-buying service connecting buyers with dealers. Identity reference ↗
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Cited in 1 paragraph: Dealer body presses for clearer connected-car rules.
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Text retrieved 23 Sept 2026. The retained extract did not reach our text limit. Extraction can still omit page content.
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