Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, PRIVACY NEWS: Markey, Blumenthal prepare bill to protect drivers’ data, privacy, (Feb 12, 2015)
Organizations Mentioned:National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
By Tom Leithauser,TRDaily
Legislation aimed at securing the data generated by connected cars and the privacy of their owners will be introduced by Senators Edward J. Markey (D., Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.), the senators announced yesterday.
“There are currently no rules of the road for how to protect driver and passenger data, and most customers don’t even know that their information is being collected and sent to third parties,” Sen. Markey said in a statement.
“We need the electronic equivalent of seat belts and airbags to keep drivers and their information safe in the 21st century,” he added.
The bill would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the FTC to establish federal standards to secure automotive data and drivers’ privacy, the lawmakers said.
“These new requirements will include a set of minimum standards to protect driver security and privacy in every new vehicle,” Sen. Markey said.
A report issued by Sen. Markey this week suggested that the data generated by modern connected cars was largely unprotected. The report was based on automakers’ responses to questions posed by the lawmaker last year about vehicle data security and privacy.
Senators Markey and Blumenthal announced their plans for legislation at a Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing on the “Internet of Things.” Their bill would require all wireless access points in automobiles to be protected against hackers and all information collected to be “appropriately secured and encrypted to prevent unwanted access,” they said.
“Connected cars represent tremendous social and economic promise, but in the rush to roll out the next big thing automakers have left the doors unlocked to would-be cyber criminals,” Sen. Blumenthal said. “This common-sense legislation would ensure that drivers can trust the convenience of wireless technology, without having to fear incursions on their safety or privacy by hackers and criminals.”
News: Privacy