Yanfeng supplies Stellantis with parts such as seating and interior components, including electronics, on a just-in-time basis.

In a short statement Stellantis said: “Due to an issue with an external supplier, production at some of Stellantis’ North America assembly plants has been disrupted. We are monitoring the situation and working with the supplier to mitigate any further impact to our operations.”

The carmaker said it would not provide information on affected plants or any other details. There has been no comment from Yanfeng.

Carmakers are concerned about threats to cybersecurity in the supply chain as complex processes become more digitalised and products become more connected. Increased data sharing and remote access of systems increases the potential risk of cybersecurity breaches.

According to a recent study by cybersecurity firm Kapersky almost two-thirds (64%) of automotive industry leaders believe their supply chain is vulnerable to cyberattack. Based on 200 interviews with C-level executives in the automotive sector the research found that a vast range of attacks encountered by automotive companies, from vendor to supplier, at almost every stage of production. It said that the lack of industry-common requirements and varying nomenclature meant that suppliers in collaborative relationships often struggle to scrutinise security measures elsewhere along the chain.