Although it is unclear when autonomous vehicles
will be hitting the roads, what
is clear is that this technology is coming. Automakers to suppliers
to lawmakers to insurers will want to carefully consider the
following issues and their legal implications before consumers take
this technology for a spin.
Telematics Data Privacy and Security
Telematics systems generate a lot of data, including location,
direction, speed of travel, and so forth. And interest abounds in
how that data can be
used, such as for usage-based insurance
programs and in crash-related investigations. With data comes
concerns about privacy — how is
data stored and for how long, who has access to it, and what
constitutes consent for data collection? In November 2014, 19 automakers committed to a
set of principles to protect data streamed or downloaded from
onboard computers. This is a start, but further discussions will be
needed as technology evolves.
