Connected-car privacy: aftermarket association calls for stronger rules
Sources checked
The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association wants connected vehicles explicitly covered by federal privacy reforms, including secure access for the repairer an owner chooses.
In its 22 September statement, AAAA calls for meaningful consent before non-essential data collection, rights to access and delete personal data, and limits on secondary use. It also wants ongoing manufacturer cybersecurity and software support, with privacy protections carried through a change of ownership. AAAA’s statement.
The association argues that independent repairers need secure access to diagnostic information with the consumer’s authorisation. The statement sets out proposed reforms; it does not announce a new legal requirement.
FitFourby’s take: Data access is a practical ownership issue. Before choosing a late-model vehicle, ask how connected services can be controlled, what happens to stored data when it is sold, and what diagnostic access your preferred repairer has. A privacy policy and a service plan deserve a place beside the specification sheet.