Alan Butler Executive Director and President | Official website
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is currently at odds with automakers over the potential regulations for connected cars. Despite multiple requests for comment, the FCC has remained silent on the matter.
According to Chris Frascella, counsel at the Electronic Privacy Information Center, FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel has not been transparent in making the industry's response letters easily accessible to the public. This lack of transparency contrasts with 2022 when Rosenworcel prominently published manufacturers' letters in response to inquiries about geolocation data policies.
Frascella highlighted the uncertainty surrounding how the commission will proceed, especially considering the overlapping authority with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). While the FTC has jurisdiction over data privacy and security, it has yet to issue any enforcement actions related to connected cars. Frascella mentioned that FTC and FCC officials hold regular meetings to coordinate their consumer protection efforts, indicating a collaborative approach to addressing regulatory challenges.
In Frascella's perspective, the current situation resembles the complexity of cybersecurity governance, where multiple agencies are striving to address significant issues without clear overarching authority. He remarked, "It's kind of like how cybersecurity is right now in that we all recognize that there's a huge problem here. So every agency is scrambling to fix it, but it's not clear who has overarching authority."
The uncertainty surrounding regulatory actions for connected cars underscores the challenges faced by both automakers and regulatory agencies in ensuring data privacy and security in the rapidly evolving landscape of automotive technology.
