Mahmut Faruk Akşit, head of TUSAŞ Motor Sanayii (TEI), attended and delivered a speech at a conference titled “Changing Threats in a Changing World: Artificial Intelligence, Biology, and Genetics,” held at Pamukkale University in the western province of Denizli over the weekend. (AA Photo)
Mahmut Faruk Akşit, head of Turkish engine manufacturer TUSAŞ Engine Industries (TEI) ), has said that foreign-made electric vehicles are barred from the campuses of Türkiye’s leading defense companies over security concerns.
“When you run a war simulation using artificial intelligence, AI uses cars as missiles almost every time. What does that mean? It uses them as guided missiles moving on the ground. It takes control of the car,” Akşit said at a conference in the western province of Denizli over the weekend.
“It is extremely dangerous. As Türkiye, we, Aselsan, Roketsan, Havelsan and TEI — no longer allow foreign-made electric cars onto our campuses,” he added.
Akşit said the vehicles could pose security risks through their cameras, sensors and software, which could potentially be exploited to gather sensitive information or compromise security at defense facilities.
Although Akşit’s remarks marked the first public disclosure of the restriction, he did not specify when the policy was introduced or how long it had been in effect.
Governments around the world, including those of the United States and China, have been taking measures to address security concerns surrounding advanced electric vehicles and their connected technologies.
The United States has imposed a blanket ban on Chinese-made smart and electric vehicles entering U.S. military bases. The U.S. Commerce Department has also brought into force a final rule prohibiting the use of Chinese- and Russian-origin software and hardware in vehicles operating in the United States.
Chinese automotive giant BYD is among the companies included on the Pentagon’s restricted list.
