Skip to main content

Data protection - a road-block for driverless cars?

A new report by international law firm Gowling WLG warns that autonomous and connected vehicle manufacturers will need to get their head around new European data protection rules if driverless cars are to become a reality. Published just two years before Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force, the report, Are you data driven? explores the latest issues in data protection and driverless vehicles and what they mean for consumers, featuring input from leading experts across the
May 27, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
A new report by international law firm Gowling WLG warns that autonomous and connected vehicle manufacturers will need to get their head around new European data protection rules if driverless cars are to become a reality.

Published just two years before Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force, the report, Are you data driven? explores the latest issues in data protection and driverless vehicles and what they mean for consumers, featuring input from leading experts across the automotive industry.

Carried out on behalf of the UK Autodrive self-driving vehicles project, the report examines how data protection regulation developments will affect innovations in the development of driverless vehicles. This comes at an important time for the UK automotive industry as the country strives to become a global hub for the development of autonomous and connected vehicle technologies. The testing of driverless vehicles in the urban environment is due to start later this year.

Data protection presents challenges and opportunities that need to be explored and discussed as autonomous technologies become more of a feature on our highways. With only 15% of people feeling in control of their online personal data, and 80% of people not reading privacy notices, this white paper questions whether the industry is being helped or hindered by data protection regulation? And how will the General Data Protection Regulation influence the sector's progress?

Stuart Young, head of automotive at Gowling WLG, summarises the situation: "Vehicle manufacturers are going to have start thinking like social media providers - like the Google and Facebooks of this world. They will need to employ all the tools they use, like privacy notices and location-based consents, and be very aware that data protection compliance should not be taken lightly."

Related Content

  • How the metaverse will transform the future of mobility
    March 15, 2023
    Digital development has never been as rapid and disruptive as it is today. The metaverse and technologies such as AR and MR will transform our lives and businesses - including transport planning and shaping the mobility ecosystem, says Christian Haas of UMovity
  • C/AV integration is ‘legislative nightmare’, warns ITS UK president
    February 23, 2018
    The integration of connected and autonomous vehicles (C/AV) into existing road systems “is going to be a legislative nightmare”, warned a former UK government transport minister. Giving the keynote speech at this week’s MaaSMarket conference in London, ITS UK president Steven Norris, said: “Don’t underestimate the legislative challenges – which are infinitely more complex than the technical ones. I can’t think of any development in human history which has posed so many legislative questions.” Chief among
  • Driver training saves lives, increases profits, reduces costs
    February 3, 2012
    An innovative UK Government initiative on work-related driver training has resulted in astonishing success, not only in terms of government objectives, but also in substantial cost-benefits for companies and public sector authorities participating in the scheme: they save lives and increase profits/reduce costs Here, we present an overview of the initiative and, overleaf, provide a detailed cost-benefit analysis which amply illustrates why it has been enthusiastically embraced by industry and the public sec
  • Driver training saves lives, increases profits, reduces costs
    February 6, 2012
    An innovative UK Government initiative on work-related driver training has resulted in astonishing success, not only in terms of government objectives, but also in substantial cost-benefits for companies and public sector authorities participating in the scheme: they save lives and increase profits/reduce costs Here, we present an overview of the initiative and, overleaf, provide a detailed cost-benefit analysis which amply illustrates why it has been enthusiastically embraced by industry and the public sec