RAC comments on FIA 'My Car My Data' campaign

The FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) has launched a consumer awareness campaign entitled ‘My Car My Data’ aimed at informing motorists about the data their vehicles may be sharing. As cars are increasingly being equipped with sensors, localisation and communication devices that can collect and send more and more data about drivers, the campaign believes motorists should be the ones deciding if their vehicle data should be shared and with whom.

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “The connected technology that is already being fitted to cars offers motorists huge benefits in terms of road safety in the long term by providing assistance in the event of an accident; identifying vehicle faults to prevent breakdowns before they happen; and in the future enabling elderly and disabled people, who currently cannot drive, to use a car.

“While supporting the FIA’s campaign to ensure data is treated properly, we believe the understandable nervousness associated with this new technology will diminish as motorists become familiar with the benefits that the use of this data offers. Ultimately, this is very similar to the data being shared via a mobile phone which, of course, almost everyone carries.

“Most people now accept CCTV use in public places and are happy to share their location with apps on their phones; this is simply a new application of the same technology.”