Two Democratic senators on Tuesday introduced legislation requiring federal standards to prevent hacking of the nation’s 250 million cars and trucks.
Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Ed Markey, D-Mass., unveiled legislation that would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Trade Commission to establish federal standards to secure cars and protect drivers’ privacy.
The Security and Privacy in Your Car, or SPY Act, “also establishes a rating system — or ‘cyber dashboard’ — that informs consumers about how well the vehicle protects drivers’ security and privacy beyond those minimum standards,” the authors said.
“Rushing to roll out the next big thing, automakers have left cars unlocked to hackers and data trackers,” said Blumenthal. “This common-sense legislation protects the public against cybercriminals who exploit exciting advances in technology like self-driving and wireless connected cars. Federal law must provide minimum standards and safeguards that keep hackers out of drivers’ private data lanes. Security and safety need not be sacrificed for the convenience and promise of wireless progress.”
Markey said drivers need protection. “We need clear rules of the road that protect cars from hackers and American families from data trackers. This legislation will set minimum standards and transparency rules to protect the data, security and privacy of drivers in the modern age of increasingly connected vehicles.”
In February, Markey released a report that said millions of cars and trucks are vulnerable to hacking through wireless technologies that could jeopardize driver safety and privacy.
