United States to enact a new law soon that will require cars to install additional sensors and infrared cameras to monitor drivers for alcohol or fatigue.
Experts say that consumers must take steps to control their data, such as opting out of insurance telemetry programs, requesting a copy of the data and refusing to share it, or adjusting the privacy settings in the car’s infotainment system.
While there are convenience and security benefits, experts warn that until consumers’ data is fully under their control, cars and the auto industry will continue to collect private information and privacy issues will continue to grow.
Modern cars are no longer just a means of transportation, but are computers that are collecting vast amounts of information about your life every moment. Your location, the people in the car, the radio station, your speed, your braking style and even your weight, age, ethnicity and facial expressions can be recorded.
According to a BBC report, some cars also monitor the driver’s movements through internal cameras. This private information often reaches insurance companies, which charge higher premiums from certain individuals based on this data. Some car companies also sell this data, but it is not clear who the buyer is and where the data goes.
According to experts, these cars can record almost every aspect of human life moment by moment. Almost all new vehicles are connected to the internet and data can also be collected through mobile phones or driving apps.
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