AAPEX panel turns spotlight on vehicle data collection

LAS VEGAS — You are worth far more than you think.

Because every second of every day, you are recording data — valuable data. The route you drive, the places you shop, the music you listen to — that's the kind of information that corporations and manufacturers want. And your car is giving it to them, likely without your knowledge.

During the Automotive Aftermarket Parts Expo (AAPEX), held Nov. 5-7 at the Sands Expo Convention Center in Las Vegas, the Auto Care Association (ACA) and the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) sounded the alarm on what they deem to be unfair data collection practices by auto makers and original equipment manufacturers.

As of now, only auto makers, auto dealers and select business partners have access to the information your car generates, including the information that would provide insight into critical repairs.

"What we are talking about today is consumer choice — having an alternative repair option. And that alternate repair option has been available for decades," said Chris Blalock, director of product management for Dorman Products. "So what has changed? The role of software has changed.

"In addition to the wealth of benefits that software brings to the car owner, it allows for restrictions and limitations to be easily implemented. … Left unchecked and unregulated, you will not have the ability to repair the dozens of modules that are on your car unless you go to the OE dealer."

In September, the ACA and AASA joined forces to help protect the aftermarket industry and independent auto service repair shops from what the misuse of technology. The campaign, dubbed "Your Car. Your Data. Your Choice." aims to educate the public about the amount of data their cars collect and who has access to it.

That mission, on Nov. 6, took the form of a panel discussion titled "Cybersecurity and the Connected Car: Challenges and Opportunities." There auto aftermarket and auto repair professionals took the Let's Tech Stage to explore the issues of data collection and transparency.

Joining Mr. Blalock on the panel were Jim Dykstra, CEO of Dytech Auto Group; Daniel Massey, Ph.D. and director of technology, cybersecurity and policy program, University of Colorado Boulder; and Clay Millican, six-time IHRA Top Fuel champion.

The matter of not having the ability to choose who accesses your vehicle's data presents three problems, panelists said:

• It undermines the economic principal of competition and potentially could eliminate thousands technician jobs at auto repair shops around the country;
• It hampers the ability of the automotive aftermarket to innovate properly; and
• It fails to protect consumer privacy.

Eliminating the competition
Lack of access to the data can have a significant economic domino effect. Preventing independent auto shops and individuals from accessing information for car repairs limits traffic to those stores. Limited traffic could lead to loss of technician jobs, but it also means a significant drop-off in demand for automotive aftermarket parts, which, in turn, could lead to the elimination of manufacturing jobs.

"We need to make sure that we have access to the parts and data," Mr. Dykstra said. "I want my customers to have the choice of where their data is going to go to. We are not trying to say that we want a competitive advantage. We want a level playing field."

Mr. Millican noted that independent auto shops aren't the only ones left in the dark with the current data collection practices.

Individual car owners, often when they sign the contract to purchase the car, hand over their rights to access data on their own vehicle. That means, he said, anyone who prefers to do repair and maintenance work on their own vehicles will not be able to do so.

"What I really am," Mr. Millican said, "is a car guy. If I want to work on my car, by golly I should be able to work on my car. Nobody should be able to tell me that you can't access that data. … I bought the car."

Cars on the road today collect as much data as a smartphone, Mr. Massey said. It can track your location and how your vehicle is running at given moment by monitoring all points of the car from the tires to the sunroof. It also, Mr. Massey said, knows how much you weigh.

Because, yes, it's collecting that kind of data, too.

All of that data is incredibly valuable because it not only allows for proper car maintenance and repair, but it also opens marketing opportunities for companies. And the car owner has no say over who has access to that data.

Your data, big ideas

The idea that one company and select partners can protect consumer data securely has proven to be a fallacy, Mr. Massey said, pointing to the number of consumer data breaches that have arisen in recent years. The most efficient model, Mr. Massey said, is one that is open and secure.

"It's your car. It's your data," he said. "Open and secure access to data is a critical problem that we are going to face, and now is the time to solve it."

Open and secure access to the data generated by today's vehicles also opens doors to creative solutions for problems faced by drivers. Mr. Blalock noted that some of the best ideas are generated by small companies and start-ups. The creative teams at those firms can find new and creative approaches to products when they understand the problem, which is most visible through data.

Limiting access to information hinders those companies and individuals from making improvements to the products already on vehicles or coming up with something new altogether.

"You have got allow the people out there to continue to innovate," Mr. Millican said. "We need the OEs, but at the same time, they can't limit innovation. There are thousands of jobs that depend on (independent auto) shops and the people that fix the car. If they take that away, they are damaging the economy, plain and simple."

Fixing the problem

Addressing all of these issues begins with the understanding that your car is collecting data, a lot of data.

"Without that basic knowledge, you are unable to speak coherently about this," Mr. Massey said. "… The first step is to educate yourself, your friends, your family about the fact that your vehicle really does have a ton of data."

Once consumers have the information, it's up to them to take action.

"You need to get involved and let your voice be heard," Mr. Massey said. "You need to say, 'Hey, that data belongs to me, and I care about how it is collected and how it is used.' "

And the best place to deliver that message is Congress.

All of the panelists agreed that truly addressing the issue will require federal legislation, standards and guidelines.

"If there is going to be regulation of any sort it is going to have to be at the federal level because state-to-state won't work with the interstate, you have cars driving back and forth," Mr. Dykstra said. "It wouldn't work having one state do one thing and another state do another."

The key, though, is addressing the issue as immediately as possible. By not properly handling the issue now, panelists said, it will become increasingly difficult to manage, especially as technology continues to improve.

"If we don't put that in place today — to have open and secure (data) and collaboration that fosters innovation and offers the consumer affordable and reliable repairs — if we can't do that with today's vehicles, we will never get there with tomorrow's vehicles," Mr. Dykstra said.

More about the Your Car. Your Data. Your Choice campaign is available at yourcaryourdata.org