How Safe Is Your Data in Connected and Autonomous Cars: A Consumer Advantage or a Privacy Nightmare ?
Amit Chougule, Vinay Chamola, Norbert Herencsar, Fei Richard Yu
TL;DR
The paper assesses data sharing in connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs), weighing safety and personalization benefits against privacy and security risks. It surveys technologies (V2V, V2I, V2N, V2C, V2D) and the data flows from sensors to cloud services, and critically reviews regulatory frameworks, highlighting gaps for automotive-specific data governance. The authors synthesize benefits across emergency response, maintenance, real-time services, energy optimization, and smart-home integration, while detailing risks including advertising exploitation, insurance implications, stalking, hacking, biometric misuse, and cross-device linking. They argue for domain-specific, privacy-by-design regulations, stronger data governance, and transparent consent mechanisms to foster trust and sustainable innovation in the automotive sector.
Abstract
The rapid evolution of the automobile sector, driven by advancements in connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs), has transformed how vehicles communicate, operate, and interact with their surroundings. Technologies such as Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication enable autonomous cars to generate and exchange substantial amounts of data with real-world entities, enhancing safety, improving performance, and delivering personalized user experiences. However, this data-driven ecosystem introduces significant challenges, particularly concerning data privacy, security, and governance. The absence of transparency and comprehensive regulatory frameworks exacerbates issues of unauthorized data access, prolonged retention, and potential misuse, creating tension between consumer benefits and privacy risks. This review paper explores the multifaceted nature of data sharing in CAVs, analyzing its contributions to innovation and its associated vulnerabilities. It evaluates data-sharing mechanisms and communication technologies, highlights the benefits of data exchange across various use cases, examines privacy concerns and risks of data misuse, and critically reviews regulatory frameworks and their inadequacies in safeguarding user privacy. By providing a thorough analysis of the current state of data sharing in the automotive sector, the paper emphasizes the urgent need for robust policies and ethical data management practices. It calls for striking a balance between fostering technological advancements and ensuring secure, consumer-friendly solutions, paving the way for a trustworthy and innovative automotive future.