Connected car and privacy: what is your position on sharing your data?

The world around us is getting smarter – and so are our cars. Connected cars collect data on your speed, driving behaviour and braking behaviour, among other things. This data is also shared over the Internet of Things (IoT). This raises questions about data protection and your privacy.

ANWB is now advocating specific legislation and regulations around the use of car data. The association polled the opinions of 10.500 motorists. 84 percent of respondents appear to be in favor of legislation that protects the data that cars collect.

Who owns the collected data?

A young car continuously collects information. On the one hand to warn or inform the driver. For example, when an appointment for a new service has to be made. Or when the tire pressure is too low. But also where you are driving, how fast you are driving and how hard you are braking.

Who is allowed to view all this data? The car manufacturer? The importer? Your garage? The owner, often the leasing company? Or the driver? Or others? Not everything has been legally regulated yet.

Preferably share data with garage

The majority of the panel members are not necessarily unwilling to share vehicle data. However, a majority of them do indicate that they want to keep control over who the data is shared with. For example, 81 percent have no problem with the data being shared with their own garage. 72 percent are prepared to share the data with ANWB itself, which can be useful in the event of a breakdown, for example. However, we are hesitant to share the data with third-party apps. Only 16 percent of the respondents have no problem with this.

Benefits of connected car often still unknown

ANWB interviewed another 1000 motorists. More than three quarters of them had no idea what they actually get out of a connected car – or what the disadvantages are. Almost nine out of ten respondents said they were concerned about the commercial use of the collected data. Almost as many motorists are afraid of being hacked. The vast majority of the survey participants see salvation in legislation in this area.

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