BYD Shark 6 Hacked on Australian TV as Xi'an Plants Ramp Hiring Past 8,000

After its 32,009-car Shark 6 recall, BYD faces a fresh Australian headache. In ABC Four Corners' probe aired Monday, Fortify Labs car-security expert Dan Hreszczuk hacked a Shark 6 in two weeks via an entry point that "didn't even have a password."

What the hacker could do

As a reporter drove, he locked the doors, blasted music, ran the wipers flat out, then killed the lights in the dark. He could track location and cabin audio; brakes and cameras held firm. BYD Australia said it takes security "very seriously" and would never hand Australian data to Chinese authorities. Chinese brands now near 40% of Australia's new-car market.

Xi'an plants ramp up

Back home, momentum builds. BYD is hiring 8,000-plus workers across its four Xi'an campuses, its largest base (1.5 million-car capacity), with bonuses up to 6,000 yuan. After first-half changeovers to second-gen Blade Battery lines cut output, plants are back at full speed, and record August exports (189,466 units, +134%) lifted Shaanxi's August output 55.4% to 138,900 vehicles.

Release date: September 22, 2026