Researchers drove a NIO ES8 electric SUV deep into a Norwegian underground mine specifically to sever its external connections. The car kept attempting to reach servers, most of them located in China. These findings echo broader concerns about hidden data collection, similar to how a surveillance app was built to covertly target users without their knowledge.
That finding sits at the center of Project Lion Cage, a multi-year study initiated in 2022 by Tor Indstøy, a risk management and threat intelligence executive at Telenor Group. Indstøy purchased the NIO ES8 as a dedicated research platform.
The project arrives as Chinese EV brands expand across European markets with assurances about local data processing. Observed network behavior appears to contradict those assurances.
“You agreed that Google and meta…”
You sure about that? Did you read every term and condition? Did you agree that they would keep a complete record of your exact location? Did you agree that they will record your voice using the Bluetooth hack? Did you agree that Facebook should be able to buy your medical data off the data market and combine it with your profile?
Gee, no, I didn’t agree. It’s a major part of why we are talking on this platform, and not Meta nor Alphabet’s platforms.