Rep. Diana Harshbarger: Owner access to vehicle data
Rep. Diana Harshbarger emphasizes the importance of vehicle data ownership, arguing that car owners should have full access to and control over the data their vehicles generate. She highlights concerns about privacy, affordability, and competition, noting that manufacturers currently hold disproportionate control over vehicle data. To address this, Harshbarger introduced the DRIVER Act, which aims to ensure real-time, secure data access for vehicle owners and promote transparency and innovation.
- ▪Rep. Diana Harshbarger introduced the Data Rights for Information and Vehicle Electronics in Real-Time (DRIVER) Act to secure vehicle owners' access to their car's data.
- ▪Modern vehicles generate approximately 25 gigabytes of data per hour, including diagnostics, geolocation, and driving behavior.
- ▪Harshbarger argues that vehicle owners should control their data, just as they own the physical components of their cars.
- ▪The article cites concerns about unauthorized data sales, data leaks, cyber attacks, and stalking linked to vehicle data misuse.
- ▪Harshbarger serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and represents Tennessee’s First Congressional District.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Featured Columns Op-Ed: Rep. Diana Harshbarger: Owner access to vehicle data is essential to innovation, affordability, and transparency RH Rep. Diana Harshbarger April 13, 2026 · 3 weeks ago I still remember how proud I felt getting the keys to my first car, knowing that it belonged to me. I drove it everywhere. And when I couldn’t fix it myself, the local mechanics always gave me a good deal. A lot has changed since then. A car sold off the lot today more closely resembles a computer on wheels than my old Datsun B210. Instead of a dipstick and a tire pressure gauge, new cars use diagnostic data to alert you when an oil change or tune-up is due.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Washington Reporter.
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