05.09.15

Hoeven Outlines Driver Privacy Act at Heartland Seminar

Legislation Ensures Owner Controls Data Collected by a Vehicle, Motorcycle

BISMARCK, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today outlined his Driver Privacy Act (S.766) during a keynote address to the American Bikers Aiming Toward Education (ABATE) of North Dakota’s Heartland Seminar to Educate and Motivate (STEAM).

“The Driver Privacy Act is all about ensuring that the owner of a vehicle controls the data recorded and collected by their vehicle,” said Hoeven. “I spoke to ABATE, an organization that does a tremendous job with motorcycle training and road safety, about making sure that a motorcycle owner has that same protection. This is about protecting our personal privacy and ensuring that our individual rights are upheld.”

Driver Privacy Act

In March, Hoeven and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) reintroduced the Driver Privacy Act, legislation to protect a driver’s personal privacy by making it clear that the owner of a vehicle owns any information collected by an Event Data Recorder (EDR). An EDR is an onboard electronic device that has the ability to continuously collect at least 43 pieces of information about a vehicle’s operation, including direction, speed, seatbelt usage and other data. While North Dakota and 15 other states have laws related to EDRs, this legislation would protect drivers anywhere in the United States. The legislation also would apply to motorcycles that are equipped with an EDR.

The bill also increases privacy by requiring the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to conduct a study on the amount of time event data recorders installed in passenger motor vehicles should capture and record for retrieval vehicle-related data in conjunction with an event, as well as require the Administrator of NHTSA to promulgate regulations based upon the study.

The Driver Privacy Act has been approved by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

The 26th Heartland STEAM brings together ABATE members from North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Illinois and Wisconsin to discuss motorcycle issues and safety.  

 

###-