AVOA’s executive director shares perspective on federal privacy bills and how they could redefine collision repairers’ access to vehicle data.
Article reprinted from: Autobody News
Historically, when a car was purchased by an individual or as part of a fleet, the owner controlled the data it generated, such as mileage, fuel levels, tire pressure, etc. As modern vehicles become more sophisticated, there is an increasing amount of information and data needed for them to function.
Many OEMs are claiming ownership of this data and imposing restrictive terms and fees that limit access to and control of it, according to Richard J. Ward III, the executive director of the American Vehicle Owners Alliance (AVOA).
“For too long, automakers have held the keys not just to our vehicles, but also to the data we generate by driving them,” said Ward, who is also the senior policy advisor of legislative and government affairs at Venable, a mid-size law practice in Washington, DC.
In December, a new vehicle privacy act, the Data Rights to Information and Vehicle Electronic Records (DRIVER) Act, was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The federal bill would require auto manufacturers to give consumers control over all the data generated by their personal automobiles, and the freedom to choose who it is shared with and how it is used.
“This bill is a critical step to restore trust and ensure that American drivers — not just manufacturers — access and control the information generated by their own vehicles,” said Ward.
A similar bill, the Auto Data Privacy and Autonomy Act, was also reintroduced in December.
Autobody News recently spoke with Ward to learn how AVOA has been working with lawmakers to support these bills and address issues related to vehicle data access.
Can you share information about the American Vehicle Owners Alliance (AVOA) and why the coalition is supporting these acts?
AVOA, established in February 2025, is a coalition committed to protecting vehicle owners’ rights to access and control the data generated by their automobiles.
Members include Enterprise Mobility, Hertz, American Property Casualty Insurance Association, GEICO, Safelite and fleet operators, including the NAFA Fleet Management Association, the National League of Cities, and the National Association of Counties.
AVOA works closely with policymakers, industry stakeholders, and consumer advocates to ensure that vehicle owners’ data remains secure. We support legislation that addresses data challenges to empower car owners with full control over their raw vehicle data.
What are the two federal bills AVOA is supporting?
There are two complementary bills we are supporting that address similar issues related to vehicle data access.
The Auto Data Privacy and Autonomy Act (ADPA), also known as the Burlison Bill, was introduced by Congressman Eric Burlison (R-MO-07) and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) in December 2024 and reintroduced in December 2025. ADPA has strong privacy protections. It limits the collection, use, and sharing of vehicle data without clear owner consent, and enhances transparency around data, practices, and safeguards related to national security and foreign adversaries.
The Data Rights to Information and Vehicle Electronic Records (DRIVER) Act was introduced in December 2025 by Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), alongside Congressman Randy Weber (R-TX-14) and Congressman Scott Perry (R-PA-10).
The DRIVER Act strengthens privacy protections and establishes a simple principle that vehicle owners have full access to and control over the data generated by their cars, at no additional cost and without restrictive terms. It prevents automakers from locking them out or charging extra fees for access and allows third-party access, including to independent repairers. If passed, consumers could retain the ability to easily delete personal information stored in onboard infotainment systems, as well as prohibit the sale of sensitive data, including biometrics, driver behavior, and geolocation.
Both bills ensure that data cannot be collected, sold, or shared without meaningful consent. Without those protections, vehicle owners would be forced to rely on OEM-controlled apps, subscriptions, and proprietary platforms that we believe would limit competition and raise costs.
With the rise of connected cars, innovation is rapidly changing what they can do but it doesn’t change who owns them. These bills help make sure that ownership and privacy keep pace with technology.
How are these acts different from the Repair Act?
The ADPA and DRIVER Acts are focused on 100 percent of vehicle-generated data, the raw data that the car owner or car generates after a purchase. This includes repair, maintenance, and diagnostics data, which is only about 20 percent of all data generated.
Other coalitions, such as the Car Coalition, are mainly focused on this type of data, which we understand and support. However, we fear that if Congress only addresses 20 percent of the data, they’re never going to address the other 80 percent that impacts major swaths of the sector. We think it is a better and more comprehensive approach to address ALL of the vehicle-generated data through these acts.
One major roadblock is that OEMs and dealers have been very resistant to the Right to Repair Act. It really comes down to whether they understand the issue and see the need to get everyone in the room to work this out, or whether they are comfortable with the status quo.
The status quo right now leaves everything in the hands of the OEMs. While we are not asking them to remove all access and control, we want vehicle owners to have full access and control.
AVOA partners with other coalitions and auto body associations focused on the Repair Act. The goal is to bring all stakeholders together to set guidelines, so everyone in the sector has what they need to plan for the future and set the rules of the road. This is a challenging issue to work through, and we are advocating for a better path forward.
Why is it so important for vehicle owners to have access to their data?
We believe that access and control of the raw data that comes with the car should be included in its purchase price and the owner shouldn’t need another subscription or pay for that data. For drivers, this means stronger privacy and property rights. For fleet owners and operators, it means fair access to data, which they need to maintain vehicles, manage safety, and keep their businesses competitive.
Owners should also have the right to decide how their data is shared. Access to vehicle data is fundamental to privacy, putting control back in the hands of the owners rather than manufacturers. There are benefits across competition, consumer protection, cybersecurity, economic growth, mobility, privacy, property rights, and safety.
As we work through these challenging issues with stakeholders, it comes down to a first principle: when you buy a phone, a refrigerator, a computer or a vehicle, you should own and control the data you generate.
How would the acts prevent manufacturers from imposing restrictive terms or additional fees?
The bills would prohibit OEMs from conditioning access to vehicle data on additional payments, exclusive contracts or restrictive licensing terms. This means that data access would be included in the upfront purchase of the car, not something an owner would be forced to buy back later through subscriptions or additional fees.
It would also limit how manufacturers can collect and monetize the data by requiring clear consent and transparency. They could still offer value-added services, but they wouldn’t be able to charge owners simply to view, access, or share their own data.
Why is it important for collision repairers to know about these acts?
These issues are super important to collision repairers. The acts ensure that vehicle owners, not auto manufacturers, have the power to decide where their cars are repaired and who can access the data needed to, for example, diagnose, calibrate, or restore them safely.
It also reinforces that access must be based on the owner’s consent. As automobiles rely more heavily on sensors, cameras, telematics, and software, restricted data access would threaten independent repair and consumer choice.
Together, these bills would protect competition in the aftermarket by giving repairers authorized, secure access to the same data streams that OEMs already use without undermining cybersecurity or intellectual property. This is critical.
We’ve seen instances where people have brought their car to an independent shop in a nearby town and the facility can’t fix it, forcing them to tow it to the closest dealer. We want to give owners the ability to share information with independent repair shops so the car can be fixed locally.
For large fleet managers working with dealer repair shops, it will help facilitate and streamline data sharing. The bills would also help put the rules of the road in place because we don’t know how crazy and complicated the future is going to be, given how much data is being produced.
How can repairers get involved to support these acts?
It’s important that collision shops get educated about this data access issue and hopefully, come to the same conclusions we have. If it’s something they support, they should reach out to their congressional members.
Any time you have a bill that addresses consumer data and privacy, it becomes challenging to build bipartisan support. This is one of the reasons why we’re trying to depoliticize it and are so focused on service transportation.
We’re going to be aggressively advocating on the Hill for the next couple of months as Congress takes up these issues.
Harshbarger, who introduced the DRIVER Act, is a member of the Energy & Commerce Committee, which will look at these issues, as well as other transportation issues, in early 2026 as Congress prepares the surface transportation bill.
For more information, visit https://americanvehicleownersalliance.org/.
