As announced on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, following a risk assessment related to the growing integration of digital systems in vehicles and the potential for uncontrolled acquisition and use of data by such systems, the Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces (SG WP) decided to introduce a ban on the entry of motor vehicles manufactured in the People’s Republic of China into protected military facilities.
Electric vehicles of the largest Chinese brand BYD / Illustrative photo: EEYAUT Waihung via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The measure is intended to strengthen the protection of military infrastructure and reduce potential security threats.
To limit the risk of access to sensitive data, a ban has also been introduced on connecting official mobile phones to infotainment systems (i.e., electronic systems and software providing integrated information and entertainment functions) in motor vehicles manufactured in the People’s Republic of China.
The restrictions also apply to other motor vehicles equipped with integrated or additional devices capable of recording location, image, or sound. Such vehicles may enter protected military facilities only on condition that specified functions are disabled and appropriate preventive measures are applied in accordance with facility protection regulations.
Commanders, chiefs, and base commanders have been instructed to provide, to the extent possible, alternative parking locations for vehicles subject to the restrictions outside military compounds.
The regulations do not apply to publicly accessible military facilities, such as hospitals, clinics, libraries, prosecutor’s offices, or garrison clubs. The restrictions also do not cover official service vehicles and military equipment belonging to the Polish Armed Forces. Nor will they apply during rescue operations or activities carried out by state and local government authorities, services, inspectorates, and guards in the performance of their statutory duties.
At the same time, the Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces has submitted a request to his superiors to initiate actions aimed at creating appropriate legal and technical conditions enabling manufacturers of vehicles equipped with advanced vehicle and environmental monitoring systems to obtain certification in the field of information security. The objective is to introduce transparent and non-discriminatory mechanisms for verifying the security of vehicles offered on the Polish market, taking into account the requirements for protecting sensitive infrastructure.
Modern vehicles equipped with advanced connectivity systems and sensors are capable of collecting and transmitting data; therefore, their presence in protected zones requires appropriate security regulations. The introduced measures are preventive in nature and are consistent with practices applied by NATO member states and other allies to ensure the highest standards of defense infrastructure protection. They form part of a broader process of adapting security procedures to the evolving technological environment and current critical infrastructure protection requirements.
MILMAG Commentary
It is worth recalling that on January 16 this year, as reported by Polskie Radio 24, the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces had been preparing the new regulations concerning Chinese-made cars. The decision was said to be based on analyses and recommendations from intelligence services, which assessed that sensors installed in such vehicles, including cameras and LiDAR systems (laser imaging radar sensors), collect images and audio from the surroundings, while GPS transmitters provide precise location data.
On January 19, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Guo Jiakun, stated during a regular press briefing that Beijing has always believed that the concept of national security should not be overgeneralized.
According to a December 17, 2025 report by the Center For Eastern Studies (OSW) titled Smartphones on Wheels: Chinese Smart Cars and Europe’s Cybersecurity, vehicles from China could potentially generate three-dimensional maps of military bases and infrastructure and track troop movements. They could also, in theory, be remotely taken over, creating a risk of road blockages.
Finally, it is worth noting that in 2025 Israel introduced a ban on leasing Chinese electric vehicles by officers of the Israel Defense Forces and immediately withdrew previously used vehicles from service, also for security reasons. Interestingly, China has imposed similar restrictions on vehicles of the American brand Tesla since 2021 (the ban remains in place despite positive recommendations for the private sector following audits conducted in 2024).