Today’s vehicles are more connected than ever. Whether it’s in-vehicle Internet access, gesture-controlled entertainment systems, or high-tech cameras designed to recognize the vehicle’s surroundings, we are witnessing the power of data-driven connected car services unfolding before our eyes.
Looking to the future of autonomous automotive technology, as well as overall auto safety, much of what’s possible for the development of next-generation vehicles will rely on the strategic application of data, the bulk of which will be generated while the vehicle is in motion.
Despite the growing interconnectedness of our real and digital lives, consumer unwillingness to share personal data remains a significant roadblock, with most apprehensive about who may have access to their information.
Research also indicates that many consumers are unaware of how much data they’re sharing, and they are reticent to enroll in services that leverage data pulled from in-vehicle monitoring.
A recent report stated that 75 percent of vehicle buyers do not want any kind of monitoring device tracking their driving habits.
Physical security is also a major concern around vehicle data-sharing. Automakers need to ensure vehicle information is safely contained so the vehicle cannot be compromised, with control suddenly surrendered to someone outside the vehicle with malicious intent.
Most consumer concerns about data-sharing focus on the lack of knowing how their vehicle data is going to be used. Common fears include:
- Is the vehicle monitoring where I am going and noting how fast I’m driving?
- Will the future bring automated speeding tickets issued directly from my vehicle, or could my insurance premium spike, based on my driving data?
- Is the data being collected also sold for commercial gain — such as where I shop or dine? Will stores and restaurants I visit regularly try to sell me things?
We know smartphones can do a lot of this today, but most people don’t connect those dots. With a vehicle, however, many of these issues become more obvious, as it is easier for most people to remember the locations they drove to physically each day, rather than every website they visited.
For automakers to create and deliver a truly “frictionless” consumer experience in the connected vehicle — one that replicates the seamless nature of a smartphone — we’ll need the permission of the driver to collect and apply data from individual vehicular and user behavior.
For those of us in the industry, it’s safe to say the challenge of consumer trust in this process isn’t going to diminish. We need to take the steps to build and maintain that trust in the technology, while prioritizing privacy, security and transparency.
It’s essential to show consumers the incredible innovation of what’s possible through data-sharing and, more important, prove over time that their vehicle data will be protected, secured and utilized in ways that respect their privacy and adhere to compliance regulations, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act and General Data Protection Regulation, rather than it being done without their knowledge.
We must create a path forward that allows consumers a measure of control over their data-sharing and enabled/connected features, while also working to bake security and privacy into all offerings in the connected vehicle of today.
While key issues we need to address around data use are transparency and trust, when customers learn that their data-sharing can provide something positive to them, this opens the door to a variety of opportunities:
Consumer value: Applications can be tailored and customized to user preferences when data points can be accessed on how the product or service is used.
Improved safety: In the future (assuming drivers are open to it and provide their consent) data from sensor-packed and connected vehicles could be packaged and shared with smart cities. Data from vehicles showing wheel slip, for instance, on a cold morning could alert city officials to a dangerous patch of black ice that requires salt, thereby improving the safety of the roads for everyone.
Opt-in/opt-out: Letting the user know when their data is used (opt in as default is the way to go) instead of it being sold without the user getting something in return — whether it’s an insurance or product discount, beta program access or personalized services — would create even less friction.
Discounts: Offers of free or heavily discounted pricing in applications (such as traffic in navigation systems) when the consumer agrees to supply helpful data for improving the app.
The current state of autonomous data-sharing is just the beginning of the sheer complexity that will unfold as vehicles evolve and the data they produce scales up on a global level.
As the creators of new vehicles request increased access to vehicle data to operate and serve up features that enhance the ownership and driver experience, the industry needs to ensure they also work on developing consumer trust, transparency and choice.