Consumer Federation of California

One of the growing trends in vehicle technology is that more and more vehicles are equipped with in-vehicle cabin cameras that look inside your car.  The Consumer Federation of California (CFC) is sponsoring legislation to ensure that the private data and recordings of those cameras inside your vehicle’s interior are controlled by consumers, and not just another way in which consumer privacy is being eroded by big corporations while they make money off of your personal information. 

To put some reasonable rules in place CFC is sponsoring California Senate Bill (SB) 346, authored by California State Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont).  The bill requires that consumers be informed at the time of purchase if a camera is installed inside a car and prohibits video recordings from being sold or shared with third parties or being used for advertising.

“The amount of personal data collected through the use of these emerging technologies requires further regulation,” said Robert Herrell, executive director of CFC. “The Consumer Federation of California believes that images collected by in-vehicle cameras are particularly sensitive and California should enact strict regulations such as those in Senator Wieckowski’s SB 346 to ensure that new technology or features do not come at the expense of consumer privacy. Drivers and consumers deserve strong protections as vehicles and vehicle technology continue to evolve and change into the future.”

Full press release here