The Japanese manufacturer Mazda has developed a data collection frenzy in the USA that could also be shared with the authorities.
In Europe we have the General Data Protection Regulation, which is why every website has to accept cookies. In the US it is privacy not so pervasive, which isn’t necessarily to people’s advantage.
Because collecting data is not only possible via the home PC or smartphone, many things can collect data. So does the car. In the USA, data protection depends on the individual states. Therefore, it makes sense here to examine the purchase contract more closely.
USMazda announced that they want to get to know their own customers better. To do this, a range of information about driving behavior and behavior after the end of the journey is automatically collected. This is regulated in the Connectivity Privacy Policy. It says that the collected data may use, share and store. This is set by default and is done by the installed telematics system.
The system is already active upon delivery and can only be deactivated by Mazda itself. The data is also used when selling or during a leasing contract. However, one could speak out against it. A phone call or a written message is sufficient. But then you have to reckon with a limited function. The data collected includes the position, driving behavior (e.g. braking and acceleration), speed, kilometers driven, fuel consumption, oil level and whether the doors are open, for example.
According to Mazda, the data will be used for research. However, one also reserves the right to share the data with the police, authorities or administrations. The police want to be given data above all if damage or loss could be prevented by doing so. Anonymized data may also be shared for educational purposes.
The strategy is not new. Also Tesla collects data to his travelers.