What About Privacy? BMW Teams With IBM To Peddle Your Driving Data To Third Parties

New cars are data-generating machines. The array of sensors and computers that enable features like navigation and adaptive cruise control also produce data that many companies believe is valuable, and could be traded or sold. So, just like smartphones, the connected cars of the future could be caught up in the battle between technological advancement and personal privacy.

A new deal between BMW and IBM could push the needle away from the latter, however. IBM is being brought in to manage BMW CarData, a new open data platform designed to let customers share data from their cars with third-party services, such as repair shops and insurance companies.

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TheSteve - 6/19/2017 10:56:57 AM

+2 Boost

It's important to note that your data is already being sold to third parties. Privacy laws protect "personally identifiable" data. "Personally identifiable" means the data, whatever it is, contains information that would allow someone to relate that data back to you as an individual. For example, if the data contained your full name, address, SIN, phone number, email address, or something similar, it is considered "personally identifiable" data. On the other hand, if your device (phone or car) is assigned a unique ID, and there is no database (such as a manufacturer's or retailer's directory) that correlates that unique ID to you as an individual, then that data is not considered "personally identifiable", and is not protected under privacy laws.

Note: I am not making a case for selling your data. I am just explaining what is already happening, and how it relates to privacy laws.

MDarringer - 6/19/2017 11:41:36 PM

-2 Boost

Indeed. This is a tempest in a teapot.

qwertyfla - 6/19/2017 11:11:52 AM

-2 Boost

Yet one more reason NOT to buy a BMW.

TheSteve - 6/19/2017 12:53:14 PM

+4 Boost

Or an iPhone? Or virtually any smartphone?

dpalmo - 6/19/2017 2:24:08 PM

0 Boost

Oooooo, a massive class action lawsuit should be extremely fun. BMW fanboys, call up your lawyers!