Who Owns Your Car’s Data? Congress Is Deciding Right Now.
When you buy a vehicle, you should own everything that comes with it—including the data it generates. Two important bills introduced in Congress will restore property rights, protect privacy, and lower costs for American drivers, businesses, and taxpayers.
What's at Stake
Your Vehicle is Generating Data – But You Don’t Control It
Today’s vehicles continuously collect data about performance, location, diagnostics, and driver behavior. Automakers are claiming ownership of that information—restricting access, charging fees, and deciding who can use it.
The DRIVER Act and the Auto Data Privacy (ADPA) Act will ensure that if you own the keys, you own the data.
Introduced by Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX), and Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), the Data Rights to Information and Vehicle Electronic Records (DRIVER) Act would restore long-standing property rights to vehicle owners.
The Auto Data Privacy and Autonomy (ADPA) Act Data Rights to Information and Vehicle Electronic Records (DRIVER) Act, introduced by Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), would also put vehicle owners in charge of decisions related to data generated by their vehicles.
Both bills would require manufacturers to provide secure, real-time access to vehicle data—at no additional cost beyond the purchase price—so owners decide how their data is used and shared.
Who Benefits – And How
American Consumers
- Provides vehicle owners with real time access to and control of the data generated by their vehicles at no additional cost beyond the purchase price of the vehicle
- Lowers costs for vehicle owners by authorizing access to vehicle data for repair, maintenance, diagnostics, and service providers
- Strengthens privacy and control by requiring manufacturers to provide owners with control over the sale of vehicle data and requiring processes to delete personal user data stored in vehicles
Public and Government Fleets:
- Eliminates manufacturer gatekeeping and extra fees on taxpayer-funded fleets
- Provides agencies with direct access to their own vehicle data, giving them the ability to manage vehicle data within their own secure systems
- Improves safety and reliability for first responders through preventative maintenance data
Private Fleet Managers:
- Reduces breakdowns and extends vehicle life with early diagnostics, improving service consistency and availability
- Supports data-driven decisions that optimize fleet performance, enabling more efficient road and route planning
- Bolsters competition and economic growth, ensuring fleets of all sizes—nationwide companies to local small businesses—can access their vehicles’ data, without being charged extra fees