Lee Bill Protects Car Owners from Data Harvesting

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced legislation today affording essential data privacy rights to vehicle owners across America. The Auto Data Privacy and Autonomy Act will give motor vehicle owners control over their personal data by outlawing its sale and collection by car manufacturers without drivers' consent, and barring data sharing with adversarial nations such as China. Congressman Eric Burlison (R-MO) introduced the House version of the bill.

"Carmakers are collecting and selling personal data from millions of American drivers," said Senator Mike Lee. "Your morning drive to work, your GPS location, and your driving habits could be sold to insurance companies, or even to international adversaries like China. Drivers deserve ownership of their data, so the Auto Data Privacy and Autonomy Act will enable them to see, delete, and opt out of having their privacy violated in the drive-through line."

"Auto manufacturers have quietly turned cars into data-harvesting machines," said Congressman Eric Burlison. "Drivers are being tracked, and their personal information is monetized with little transparency or consent. Your data should never be treated as a corporate asset or an open target for bad actors."

The Auto Data Privacy and Autonomy Act will protect drivers' privacy rights by:

• Requiring Informed Consent: Mandating that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) establish opt-in features for vehicle data collection.
• Restricting Data Sharing: Prohibiting OEMs from sharing, selling, or leasing collected customer data without explicit consent, with narrow exceptions required by law.
• Protecting National Security: Barring data sharing with adversarial nations.
• Ensuring Transparency: Directing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to report to Congress on data collection practices.
• Empowering Owners: Allowing vehicle owners access to their vehicle's data through technology-neutral standards.
• Enabling Data Deletion: Giving owners the right to delete their data after connecting to a vehicle.
• Balancing Interests: Protecting OEM confidential business information while safeguarding consumer rights.

Read the full bill text here.

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