Connected Car Data – Your Security & Privacy in Peril

What is a connected car anyway?  Here’s one simple definition from Wikipedia:

A connected car is a car that is equipped with internet access, and usually also with a wireless local area network. This allows the car to share internet access to other devices both inside as outside the vehicle. Often, the car is also outfitted with special technologies that tap into the internet access or wireless LAN and provide additional benefits to the driver. Examples include: automatic notification of crashes, notification of speeding and safety alerts.

Here is another definition that’s a bit more encompassing:

Connected Car (definition ) – the presence of devices in an automobile that connect the devices to other devices within the car/vehicles and or devices, networks and services outside the car.

According to Forbes, there are several obstacles facing the connected car market, but one receiving huge attention lately is the privacy issue.

Significant amounts of information is easily obtained today through several vehicle systems…ranging from the vehicle’s location or a driver’s use of a vehicle (i.e. including speed, braking force etc.).  Automakers are realizing that in order to maintain consumer trust, the protection of such data and ensuring that it remains private is of paramount importance.

Hence,  The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (AAM), the Association of Global Automakers (AGA) and their member automakers, have created a new set of “privacy principles” focused on the Data generated in motor vehicles by “connected car” systems.  Although the privacy principles don’t exactly have the same impact as legislation…at least they come from a member list that’s grandiose in stature.  Participating automakers include American Honda, Aston Martin Lagonda, BMW, Chrysler, Ferrari, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, Maserati, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo.

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