Skip to main content

Car data is personal data, says report

Early results from a new study commissioned by FIA Region I indicates that most car data can be linked to a user and therefore should be treated as personal data.
June 7, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

Early results from a new study commissioned by 8054 FIA Region I indicates that most car data can be linked to a user and therefore should be treated as personal data. The study examined how existing and upcoming EU legislation on data protection and liability could apply to vehicle data. It clearly dismisses the attempts to categorise data according to its technical or non-technical nature, as currently proposed by vehicle manufacturers. Data does not automatically lose relevance in terms of privacy because of its technical nature. For instance, technical information regarding a low oil gauge of a specific vehicle is linked to an identifiable customer, it directly relates to this person.

The General Data Protection Regulation, expected to come into force from May 2018, introduces the concept of data portability, intended to allow users to transfer their personal data to a third party upon request. This provision was drafted to ensure competition. However, data protection legislation alone may not be sufficient to ensure competition as there remain concerns over the latency and quality of the data to be provided.

"This study shows, without ambiguity, that most of the data generated by car users should be treated as personal data. It dismisses claims that exclusive access could be granted to vehicle manufacturers based on the nature of the data or liability obligations. While data protection legislation will provide some rights to users, it cannot replace sound technical and competition legislation to guarantee free choice and innovation." said Laurianne Krid, director general of FIA Region I.

The study also explores whether liability obligations grant a right to access data to manufacturers. Neither the product liability directive nor the produce safety directive obliges manufacturers to permanently monitor data once the vehicles are on the road. If such processing of data was needed, it must be based on consumer consent. Data should also be equally shared with component manufacturers.

The full study will be published in the coming weeks.

Related Content

  • May 1, 2020
    What actually happens if we do #FreetheMIBs?
    Q-Free’s #FREEtheMIBs campaign highlights the use of manufacturer-specific data output, storage and communication protocols in traffic lights and ITS systems.
  • March 25, 2020
    Tech giants could herald loss of MaaS policy control
    With tech giants targeting the transport sector, could local authorities lose control of their means of delivering policy?
  • January 9, 2023
    Synthetic data v the real thing
    ITS and smart cities thrive on data: but does all the data need to be real? Steve Harris of Mindtech explains why the answer could lie in combining elements of the real world with the synthetic
  • October 29, 2013
    Digital identities in Europe could top €1tn by 2020 says BCS
    The economic value of our digital identities is growing fast and could reach 1 trillion euros in Europe by 2020, according to estimates from the Boston Consulting Group. Digital identities boost economic efficiency, help focus research and marketing efforts while spurring the creation of personalized products and services that, in turn, drive revenues. For consumers, the benefits are compelling as products and services are tailored to their needs and requirements, says the report.