Ottawa, Ontario — A Change.org petition created in support of the Your Data. Your Choice campaign demanding consumer access to vehicle data has garnered more than 10,000 signatures.
The Canadian campaign advocating for consumer control of vehicle data–which is currently ruled by OEMs–was first announced in November 2020 by the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada).
By 2022, between 70 percent and 95 percent of new cars in Canada will be equipped with wireless technology that transmits vehicle data in real-time, estimates AIA Canada according to Deloitte data. Currently, data transmitted wirelessly goes only to the automakers, giving them full control over how it is used and who to share it with. Without direct access to and control of this data, vehicle owners may face higher costs and have fewer options when it comes to who maintains and repairs their vehicles, restricting their ability to choose more affordable repair options.
“Unless automakers are forced by regulations, they aren’t going to release that control,” said J.F. Champagne, president of AIA Canada during a January webinar. “We need the petition signatures to say, ‘look, the consumers have spoken’ with 100,000 signatures in Canada and 150,000 in the U.S.”
The U.S. Your Data. Your Choice petition has nearly 30,000 signatures so far.
Click here to sign the Canadian Your Data. Your Choice petition.
