WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Scott Perry (PA-10) and Congressman Randy Weber (TX-29) co-sponsored Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger’s (TN-01) Data Rights for Information and Vehicle Electronics in Real-time (DRIVER) Act to codify vehicle data ownership rights.
The digitization of vehicles and subsequent extensive production of vehicle data, necessitates swift action from Congress. Previously, all essential vehicle information – i.e., mileage, diagnostics, fuel levels, location data, etc. - belonged to the vehicle owner. The DRIVER Act ensures the privacy of this data, bucking the trend of auto manufacturers to effectively erode property and privacy rights.
"Auto manufacturers are secretly tracking where, when, and how you drive - and it’s an obvious threat to your Constitutional right to privacy,” said Congressman Perry. “Our DRIVER Act restores your property rights, ownership of your data, and revokes self-awarded, all-access pass to private property. When you buy a car, it's yours - to include your vehicle-generated data. The DRIVER Act is a win for common sense and drivers across America."
“If you buy the car, you should own the data. It’s that simple,” said Congresswoman Harshbarger. “Automakers have quietly taken control of information that rightfully belongs to consumers. The DRIVER Act restores those property rights, strengthens privacy protections, and ensures no foreign adversary can access Americans’ sensitive vehicle data. This bill puts Americans back in the driver’s seat and protects our data and national security in the digital age.”
"In a day and age where data collection is the new gold rush, Americans shouldn’t lose control over their own personal information just by turning the key in their car,” said Congressman Weber. "Drivers deserve clear ownership of the data their vehicles generate and the peace of mind that it isn’t being misused or sent overseas. I’m proud to work with Congresswoman Harshbarger on the DRIVER Act to implement these common-sense protections, safeguard privacy, and ensure vehicle data stays in the driver's hands.”
The American Vehicle Owners Alliance also endorses this legislation.
"For too long, automakers have held the keys not just to our vehicles, but also to the data we generate by driving them. This bill is a critical step to restore trust and ensure that American drivers—not just manufacturers—access and control the information generated by their own vehicles. When you buy a car, you should own both the machine and the data it produces. For individual drivers, this means stronger privacy and property rights. For fleet owners and operators, it means fair access to their data, which they need to maintain vehicles, manage safety, and keep their businesses competitive. AVOA urges Congress to pass the DRIVER Act to protect consumers’ property rights, foster competition, and prevent unnecessary and burdensome restrictions on owners’ access to their data." – Richard Ward, Executive Director of AVOA
You can read the full bill text HERE
