Your modern car knows more about you than you think: Quebec report flags 12 privacy and ethical risks
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Modern connected vehicles can collect and transmit large amounts of information about drivers, passengers and their surroundings, raising privacy, surveillance and cybersecurity concerns that many motorists may not fully understand, according to a new Quebec report.
The Quebec Commission on Ethics in Science and Technology (CEST) identified 12 major ethical issues linked to connected vehicles, including increased surveillance and erosion of privacy, domestic abuse, workplace monitoring, hacking and theft of personal data, car-sharing and rental services, ownership and repair rights, personalized insurance, environmental impacts, police access to data, national security, government vehicle fleets and the potential public-interest use of collected data.
Today’s vehicles increasingly operate like “computers on wheels,” using sensors, cameras, microphones, infotainment systems and mobile applications to collect information. That data can be used for functions ranging from navigation and mechanical diagnostics to marketing profiles and other commercial services.
One concern highlighted by the report involves insurance programs that monitor driving behaviour. According to reporting on the study, algorithms may penalize drivers for factors such as travelling at night or through certain neighbourhoods, potentially affecting people such as lower-income shift workers. The report also raises questions about whether consumers have enough information to understand or challenge how they are assessed.
Location information presents another potential danger. Vehicle apps and connected services can be used to track a car’s movements, creating risks in situations involving stalking, domestic violence or coercive control. Data stored or transferred through third-party cloud systems can also become a cybersecurity target if security protections fail.
The Commission also questions whether the traditional model of consumer consent is sufficient. Terms and conditions can be long and difficult to understand, while connected cars may collect information not only about the owner but also passengers and people outside the vehicle who never agreed to be recorded.
CEST concluded that existing regulatory frameworks are not fully equipped to address the scale and complexity of these risks. It pointed to limited industry transparency, weaknesses in individual consent as a protective mechanism and difficulties applying rules intended to minimize the collection of personal information.
Connected vehicles also provide genuine benefits, including real-time road warnings, navigation services and early detection of mechanical problems. The Quebec report does not argue against the technology itself, but calls for stronger oversight and further work on how the automotive industry, digital technologies and data flows should be regulated as vehicles become increasingly connected.
