Dutch intelligence is warning that connected cars are rolling surveillance devices — microphones, cameras, and GPS trackers that hostile states can activate remotely — and American media has nothing to say about it.

The Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) issued a public alert this week detailing how modern vehicles collect massive troves of data on occupants, their surroundings, and connected devices — and that state actors can tap into all of it. The warning names no specific country, but it lands amid a flood of Chinese-made vehicles into Western markets. Meanwhile, the American tech press is busy telling you about holiday doorbell chime previews.

The AIVD stated plainly that cars are becoming "increasingly smart" with digital systems that collect data and connect to the internet. "On the one hand this offers practical benefits, but on the other hand these systems collect a great deal of data about occupants, the vehicle itself, and about objects and people in the vicinity. Various parties, including state actors, can gain access to this data."

The agency warned it is "technically possible to activate" microphones and cameras remotely in some cars, allowing malicious actors to "eavesdrop on conversations" and "make recordings in and around the vehicle." Their advice: do "not hold confidential conversations in or around the vehicle" and do "not use a vehicle with an external camera when travelling to a sensitive location." Connecting your phone via Bluetooth, WiFi, or charging systems could allow bad actors to "extract data from connected devices via the vehicle." GPS, telematics modules, and charging stations can all be used to track and transmit your whereabouts.

The Guardian framed the story almost entirely through the lens of Chinese imports — and the China angle is real. Chinese-owned brands now account for 15% of all new UK car registrations, nearly 175,000 vehicles in the first half of 2026, more than double the same period last year. MG, BYD, and Jaecoo — whose parent Chery is part-owned by the Chinese state — are driving the surge. The Jaecoo 7 was the UK's bestselling car in March. China's national intelligence law requires its companies to assist the state's intelligence services on demand. The UK Ministry of Defence has reportedly banned cars with Chinese parts from sensitive military sites, including RAF Wyton and the SBS headquarters in Dorset.

The Chinese embassy in London called the accusations "imaginary and purely fabricated."

But The Guardian buried the broader implication: this is not just a China problem. The AIVD's warning applies to any connected vehicle, regardless of manufacturer. The surveillance infrastructure is baked into the technology itself. Every major automaker is loading cars with always-on microphones, outward-facing cameras, GPS tracking, and internet connectivity. The data vacuum is the feature, not the bug.

And where is the American press? While Dutch intelligence tells its citizens that the car in the driveway is a potential listening device, the US tech media is running items about Google letting you preview Oktoberfest chimes on your Nest Doorbell — another internet-connected surveillance device pointed at your front door, now with seasonal sounds. The triviality coverage speaks volumes about whose interests are being served.

The Dutch are telling their citizens the truth about what's parked in their driveways. The British military is already restricting certain vehicles from its bases. American drivers deserve the same warning — and the same debate about whether the convenience of connected cars is worth handing hostile actors a tracking device that goes everywhere you go.