Landmark Federal Bills Seek to Grant Vehicle Owners Full Control Over Car-Generated Data, Barring Manufacturer Sale

Every time you start a modern car, it begins generating a digital footprint. From the weight in the passenger seat to your precise GPS coordinates and braking habits, today's vehicles are rolling data centers. For years, automakers have claimed ownership of this telemetry, often selling it to data brokers or insurance companies without explicit driver knowledge. But a pair of landmark federal bills advancing through Congress in 2026—the DRIVER Act and the Auto Data Privacy and Autonomy (ADPA) Act—seek to flip that dynamic, placing full control of vehicle-generated data back into the hands of the people who actually bought the cars. For the average owner, this legislation could mean the difference between a car that secretly monitors their commute and one that respects their privacy.[3][5]

Introduced in the House by Representatives Diana Harshbarger and Scott Perry, the Data Rights to Information and Vehicle Electronic Records (DRIVER) Act creates a property-like access right for vehicle owners. The legislation mandates that manufacturers provide secure, real-time access to onboard data through standard physical ports and wireless interfaces. Crucially, automakers would be prohibited from charging owners to decrypt their own data or forcing them to buy proprietary hardware to access it. If you buy the car, the bill's sponsors argue, you should own the data it produces, ending the era of manufacturers holding vehicle telemetry hostage behind paywalls.[1][4]

Running parallel to the DRIVER Act is the Auto Data Privacy and Autonomy Act, championed by Senator Mike Lee and Representative Eric Burlison. This bill focuses heavily on the commercialization of driver information. It explicitly prohibits original equipment manufacturers from sharing, selling, or leasing collected customer data without affirmative, opt-in consent. It also grants owners the right to permanently delete their personal information from a vehicle's systems after connecting to it. For anyone who has ever worried about leaving their home address and contact list synced to a rental car or a trade-in, this provision offers a long-overdue digital reset button.[2][6]

Both legislative efforts share a strong national security component that extends beyond consumer privacy. The bills strictly bar automakers from selling or transferring vehicle data to companies owned, controlled, or influenced by foreign adversaries. With modern vehicles equipped with high-resolution cameras and precise geolocation sensors capable of mapping critical infrastructure, lawmakers argue that unchecked data brokering poses a severe risk. By cutting off the pipeline that allows data brokers to legally sell sensitive telemetry to overseas shell companies, the legislation frames data sovereignty as a matter of national defense.[4][8]

The push for data control extends far beyond individual consumers, deeply impacting the businesses that keep vehicles on the road. Fleet operators, rental car companies, and independent repair shops have rallied behind the legislation. Organizations like the American Vehicle Owners Alliance and the American Car Rental Association argue that restricted data access undermines fair market competition. By guaranteeing third-party access, the bills would allow independent mechanics to diagnose and repair vehicles without paying exorbitant licensing fees to manufacturers, potentially lowering maintenance costs for everyday drivers who prefer their local shop over the dealership.[5][7]

While consumer advocates celebrate the bills, the automotive industry faces a complex compliance landscape if the legislation passes. Automakers have historically argued that locking down vehicle data is necessary to protect proprietary software and ensure cybersecurity against malicious hacking. Implementing secure, standardized data-sharing portals for millions of existing vehicles presents a massive technical challenge, and the bills preserve a narrow exception for confidential business information. Furthermore, the legislation preempts state laws, creating a unified federal standard but potentially overriding stricter privacy regulations already enacted in states like California.[1][8]

As the 119th Congress prepares to debate the surface transportation bill, the DRIVER and ADPA Acts are positioned as central pillars of the upcoming legislative session. The outcome will determine the future of the automotive data economy. For the driver pulling out of their driveway, the stakes are deeply personal: whether their vehicle remains a closed ecosystem controlled by the manufacturer, or an open platform where the owner holds the keys to both the ignition and the data.[5]

The legislative battle underscores a broader shift in how Americans view digital property rights. As cars evolve from mechanical machines into software platforms on wheels, the legal frameworks governing them are being forced to adapt. Whether these bills pass in their current form or face significant industry-driven amendments, they have already succeeded in bringing the hidden trade of vehicle data out of the shadows and onto the congressional floor.[8]