EPIC - Federal Appeals Court Dismisses Privacy Case Against Connected Car Makers

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Federal Appeals Court Dismisses Privacy Case Against Connected Car Makers

A federal appeals court has ruled that consumers don't have the right to seek legal relief from automakers whose connected cars endanger their privacy because the risk of remote hacking is "speculative." EPIC filed an amicus brief in the case warning that connected cars "expose American drivers to the risks of data breach, auto theft, and physical injury." EPIC urged the court to allow consumers to "the opportunity to present legal claims stemming from the defendants' sale of vehicles that place them at risk." But the court wrongly downplayed the consumers' privacy injuries and dismissed the case. EPIC recently urged the Supreme Court to reject warrantless searches of rental cars, which today collect vast troves of personal data. EPIC has filed numerous other amicus briefs defending consumer privacy rights, and EPIC has repeatedly warned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Federal Trade Commission, and the U.S. Congress about the privacy and consumer safety risks posed by connected vehicles.