Consumers want data access and control: survey

A significant majority of respondents to a recent survey said vehicle owners should have full access to and control of their vehicle’s data – including maintenance and repair information.

The survey was conducted by research firm Ipsos and released by the Auto Care Association in the U.S. of vehicle owners and lessees. It found that that 86 per cent said owners should be able to access telematics information. Another 88 per cent said those owners should decide who has access to that data.

“These results should be a wake-up call to automakers,” said Bill Hanvey, president and CEO of the Auto Care Association. “At a time when Americans don’t see eye to eye on many issues, the results of this survey revealed a large majority of consumers support their right to gain full access to their vehicle data.”

The survey also found a lack of awareness of telematics. Nearly three in four consumers said they had not heard anything about it. When given the definition, 63 per cent said they were not very or not at all familiar with telematics.

“Without the right to control where their data goes, car owners may face greater inconvenience, greater cost and fewer options for taking care of their vehicle,” Hanvey said.

The survey found 71 per cent of respondents incorrectly assumed that the vehicle owner has access to driver and vehicle data. Nearly half of respondents (45 per cent) incorrectly believed that vehicle owners own their car’s data.

The survey’s respondents also reported mixed feelings about advancements in vehicle technology:

• Eighty percent agreed that the advancements in safety technology in vehicles make them feel safer on the road. However, 70 percent said they believe technological advancements in vehicles are making drivers too dependent on safety features;
• Half (50 percent) said they are skeptical of new technology in vehicles; and
• Fifty-nine percent said they specifically look for new technology features in vehicles they are considering to purchase or lease, while 45 percent prefer vehicles with fewer technology features.