Driver distrust negating connected car benefits
The potential benefits of connected vehicles are not being realised due to distrust from drivers about who has access to their data.
According to The Deloitte 2023 Global Automotive Consumer Study, 30% of motorists in the US are sceptical about sharing the personal data collected by connected cars.
This means they are not getting access to the potential benefits of connected cars, such as vehicle health and maintenance updates, traffic congestion information, and updates to improve road safety.
Tom Blackie, CEO at connectivity pioneer VNC Automotive, said: “Perhaps automotive OEMs should take a leaf out of the tech industry’s book. Many manufacturers offer a smartphone app that links to the car through a personalised account, and this presents the ideal opportunity to explain what data is collected, how it will be used, and to opt-in or out. A customer-facing portal could also offer a further chance to gather consent.
“Both would allow each customer to decide their own comfort level; some may prefer to withhold their location information, but still be perfectly comfortable sharing vehicle data such as fault codes or wear indicators. By being open and transparent about the data being collected and giving the customer the final say reassures them that their personal information is being treated with respect.”
