Sen. Claudia Kauffman, D-Kent, introduced legislation last week adding privacy protections for data that the data-recording black boxes hold and disclosure requirements for auto manufacturers, requiring them to consumers if a recorder is in the car that they drive.
Known as Event Data Recorders, the devices have been installed in cars for vehicle-safety research. As of late, the amount and type of data the devices record has expanded. Today, such devices can record whether a driver is wearing a seat belt and the location and speed of the car.
“This is simply about letting car owners know what’s under the hood of their cars. This isn’t about safety, this is a privacy bill,” Kauffman said, “Right now, this is totally unregulated and unchecked.”
Senate Bill 5574 requires owner approval or a court order for access to data recorder information. It also requires car makers or subscription services to disclose whether there are recording systems under the hood of new cars and what information they record.
The measure also clarifies that the vehicle owner owns the data in the device.
The bill was scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection Committee Thursday in Olympia.
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