The American Vehicle Owners Alliance (AVOA) recently responded to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit’s request for legislative proposals to be considered before the 2025 surface transportation reauthorization.  

AVOA is a coalition committed to protecting vehicle owners’ rights to access and control the data generated by their vehicles. This legislation could be key to setting policies and priorities in the next several years. 

In its comments, AVOA supports legislation ensuring owners retain unrestricted access to raw vehicle data. With the rise of connected vehicles, automakers have begun bypassing owners (individuals or as part of a fleet) and claiming ownership of data, which, according to AVOA, fundamentally undermines property rights for consumers and fleet purchasers alike.

“AVOA believes vehicle owners’ access to and control of their vehicle data is fundamental to putting control back in the hands of the owners rather than manufacturers and other third parties. AVOA supports legislation addressing these challenges, ensuring owners retain unrestricted access to raw vehicle data,” AVOA’s Executive Director Rich Ward said.

For example, AVOA supported the Auto Data Privacy and Autonomy Act (H.R.10473 and S.5579), which was introduced in the House and Senate in the last Congress. These bills would not only impose privacy restrictions on automakers’ use of owners’ vehicle data, but also ensure that vehicle owners can control who has access to their vehicle information and have unrestricted access to their vehicles’ data.

AVOA Outlines Benefits of Owner Access and Control of Data

As described by AVOA, empowering vehicle owners with full control over their data offers broad benefits across privacy, cybersecurity, competition, consumer protection, economic growth, mobility, property rights, and safety.

Potential benefits as outlined by AVOA include:

• Property Rights: When you buy a vehicle, you own it, including the data it generates. Recent efforts by manufacturers to assume control over vehicle data challenge this principle. Legislation is needed to protect these rights and ensure owners retain full control over their vehicles and related data.

• Safety & Maintenance: Vehicle data can accurately diagnose issues, guide repairs, and even predict maintenance needs, ensuring consumers with safe driving experiences.

• Consumer Protection: Drivers often store personal information in vehicles, such as contact lists, call logs, or garage codes. Data access and control enable owners to identify and remove this information, safeguarding user privacy and ensuring that personal data does not linger in vehicles.

• Competition: Access to vehicle data fuels innovation, driving the development of new mobility solutions. Restricting data access gives automakers exclusive control over this critical resource, limiting competition, reducing consumer choice, and driving up costs.

• Customer Experience: Data from fleet vehicles allows fleet owners to create tailored, high-quality customer experiences. By making data-driven decisions, fleet owners can optimize vehicle availability, minimize wait times, and offer personalized experiences like real-time pickup and delivery, accelerated roadside assistance, and personalized preferences based upon user needs. Data supports proactive maintenance, ensuring well-maintained vehicles and a better overall experience.

• Economic Growth: Data access supports a dynamic economy by allowing a wider range of companies to develop innovative solutions to meet transportation needs. Legislation that ensures vehicle owners can access the data generated by their vehicles supports new products, services, and markets, driving American competitiveness and economic growth.

• Mobility: Full data access sparks new ideas that enhance mobility solutions for all Americans. Legislation that allows owners access to vehicle data is essential for developing intelligent transportation systems, reducing traffic congestion, and improving the quality of life.

• Privacy: Owners should be able to decide if and how their data is shared. Access to vehicle data is fundamental to privacy, putting control back in the hands of the owners rather than manufacturers. Fleet owners have additional interests in regard to employees and customers driving their vehicles. Without appropriate legislation, that fundamental right of owners to control their data is not assured.

• Cybersecurity: All owners are highly motivated to protect the data generated by their vehicles. Fleet owners have additional interests regarding employees and customers driving their vehicles. With full access and control, owners can implement advanced security measures, decide when and how data is shared, and reduce the risk of data breaches or misuse.