Congress urged to implement measures prohibiting the use of connected cars for stalking and domestic violence incidents
In the ongoing fight against domestic abuse, a new proposed legislation is gaining traction. This legislation, developed in collaboration with the Alliance for Automotive Innovation and organisations dedicated to supporting domestic violence survivors, aims to enable survivors to quickly terminate or disable an abuser's access to a vehicle's connected services, even if the abuser is the account holder.
The proposed legislation is specific to connected vehicle services, which fall outside the purview of the Safe Connections Act of 2022. Automakers do not maintain call records or provide customer-facing call logs for connected vehicle services, making it challenging for victims to regain control over their digital lives.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation has urged swift Congressional enactment of a vehicle-specific law to protect individuals from stalking and harassment through the intentional misuse of connected vehicle technology. The organisation has written to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel regarding the need for such a law.
However, it's worth noting that the search results do not contain any information about a legislative proposal by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation specifically aimed at preventing the misuse of connected vehicle services for stalking and harassment of domestic violence survivors. As of June 2024, the Alliance has advocated for industry-led guidelines and cooperation with legislators to address concerns about the misuse of connected vehicle technologies, but no explicit federal legislative proposal with this specific focus has been widely reported.
The Federal Communications Commission is examining how it can use existing law to ensure car manufacturers and wireless service providers are taking steps to assist abuse victims in the context of traditional communications services. However, it is not currently clear if they are doing the same for connected vehicle services.
In the absence of a federal law, the problems associated with shared mobile service contracts that the Safe Connections Act seeks to address do not apply to connected vehicle services. This gap in protection leaves victims vulnerable to continued abuse through these technologies.
If you require detailed, current legislative information, it is recommended to consult official legislative trackers, government websites, or to reach out directly to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation or related automotive policy organisations.
