By Richard Ward, Executive Director, American Vehicle Owners Alliance
On June 9, the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety held a hearing titled, “The Need for Speed: How Technological Advances are Driving Transportation Innovation.”
The hearing gave senators and witnesses a useful opportunity to examine autonomous vehicles, connected transportation systems, cybersecurity, freight mobility, and the federal role in emerging transportation technologies.
One theme came through clearly: data will shape the next generation of transportation.
Members and witnesses discussed how vehicle-generated data can improve safety, support connectivity, strengthen freight operations, and help automated and connected vehicles operate more effectively. The discussion also showed growing bipartisan interest in a national approach to transportation technologies.
As that work continues, vehicle owners should be part of the data policy discussion.
Ahead of the hearing, AVOA submitted a statement for the record urging Congress to protect vehicle owners’ right to access and control the data generated by the vehicles they own. That principle, My Car, My Data, is at the core of AVOA’s mission.
As Congress considers how connected and autonomous vehicles should operate, lawmakers have an opportunity to make sure vehicle owners have clear rights over the data their vehicles generate.
Access to vehicle-generated data increasingly determines who can participate in the transportation economy. It affects repair, insurance, fleet management, safety, competition, affordability, and new mobility services. It also affects whether vehicle owners can choose who receives their data and for what purpose.
Without clear federal rules, manufacturers can decide who gets access to vehicle-generated data, on what terms, and at what cost. That approach limits consumer choice and risks giving a small number of companies control over data generated by millions of Americans and businesses that own, operate, rent, repair, insure, and rely on vehicles every day.
The Senate Commerce hearing showed that Congress understands the importance of transportation data. Vehicle-owner rights should be included as Congress continues that work.
Vehicle-generated data belongs in any serious federal approach to automated vehicles, connected transportation systems, interoperability, cybersecurity, and transportation technology. A national standard for vehicle data access can protect consumers, support competition, and give innovators the certainty they need to build new services around the vehicles Americans already own.
This issue will only become more urgent as Congress continues work on surface transportation reauthorization and future legislation governing connected and autonomous vehicles.
Americans own their vehicles. They should have the right to access the data those vehicles generate and decide when that data is shared.
Read AVOA’s full statement for the record.