Connected vehicles: privacy alert

In Canada, the Commission de l’éthique en science et en technologie (CEST) published, on August 22, 2026, a report devoted to the “risks and challenges related to connected vehicles,” particularly regarding the protection of privacy. The document identifies 12 major points of concern associated with the numerous onboard sensors, particularly with regard to cybersecurity, geolocation, and insurance practices deemed unfair.

Location data can thus compromise the safety of people who are victims of domestic violence or subjected to coercive control. The confidentiality “of the location of a shelter for an abused person” can in particular be “undermined.” More generally, data protection raises concerns, as manufacturers store this data on servers managed by external providers, thereby multiplying the transfer points that could be attacked.

The report also points to “careful driver” insurance programs, which analyze drivers’ behavior in exchange for a premium reduction. The lack of transparency, particularly regarding the criteria used to evaluate users, can contribute to making these programs “very unfair.”

Above all, the CEST emphasizes the lack of information given to drivers about the processing of their data: only 7% consult the terms and conditions of use, which the report deems “excessively long,” vague, and difficult to understand. “There is currently great opacity surrounding this issue. Certainly, the customer gives their consent, but do they always fully understand what they are consenting to?” says Luc Bégin, chair of the CEST.