carplay-benz-03It seems that not only are our phones getting smarter these days, but our home appliances as well, so it’s really no surprise that there is work being done to make our cars smarter too. Self-driving cars are a great example of smart car, and while we worry about our apps and internet services collecting too much information, could that worry be applied to smart cars as well?

Perhaps to help assuage the fears of consumers, the Auto Alliance (which comprises of most major American and German car brands) have recently issued a set of privacy principles that will essentially see these brands limit themselves as to how much information about the driver they are allowed to collect, as well as dictate how they will handle said information.

These rules are voluntary which means that those not part of the Auto Alliance have no obligation to adhere to them. For example some of the guidelines includes the collection of biometrics. If there is a need to collect biometrics such as location, driving behavior, and whatnot for third-parties, they will explicitly ask for your permission first.

Data will also be anonymized when possible to ensure that it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands, and any content from, the event data recorder will be yours exclusively, so that if you’re the type that speeds, it will be between you and the police, as your automaker won’t be the one to rat you out. Given that a recent study revealed that 91% of adults don’t feel like they’re in control of their personal information, this is a good move on the Auto Alliance’s part, but what say you? Is this enough? Or could they do more?

Filed in Transportation..

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