The chief executive of a top Turkish defense company producing engines for domestic platforms said Sunday that the firm, alongside other major players in the country, has banned access for foreign electric cars to its campuses.
Speaking at an event in western Denizli province, Mahmut Akşit, the CEO and general manager of TEI, noted that the cameras, sensors and software used in autonomous and electric vehicles also need to be evaluated from a security perspective.
TEI is a subsidiary of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), developer of the fifth-generation jet, Kaan.
"Here in Türkiye, we, at Aselsan, Roketsan, Havelsan, and TEI, no longer allow foreign electric cars onto our campuses," Anadolu Agency (AA) quoted Akşit as saying.
"That’s because they have so many sensors, cameras and other equipment that they can map out the entire area, and we're not the ones in control of them," he added.
He pointed out that the company allows domestically manufactured vehicles "because we control both the software and the systems themselves."
"But the danger is significant ... If you control the software, you can change the passwords, modify the software, and secure the system again. But if the software and control are in someone else’s hands, the vehicle will do whatever that person wants it to do, unfortunately," he explained.
Akşit noted that his remarks reflected his personal assessment and emphasized the need to raise public awareness of the potential risks that may arise as society benefits from the opportunities offered by digital technologies.
