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BOSTON (Legal Newsline) – A recently filed lawsuit challenges Massachusetts’ new Data Law, claiming it will reduce the security of sensitive vehicle data.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation filed its case Nov. 20 in Massachusetts federal court against Attorney General Maura Healey in an effort to strike down SD645.
“The ballot initiative’s proponents falsely touted the measure as necessary to provide Massachusetts consumers with a ‘right to repair’ their vehicles by granting vehicle owners access to vehicle maintenance data necessary to have repairs performed at their preferred non-dealership maintenance shops,” the suit says.
“Under the guise of providing access to data necessary to perform vehicle maintenance, the Data Law sweeps broadly to allow third-party access to nearly all data generated by vehicles – with negative consequences for consumer privacy, public safety and manufacturers’ federally protected property rights.”
The suit notes concerns from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which submitted written testimony to the Massachusetts Legislature last year. The NHTSA says car makers will have to design their products in a way that introduces cybersecurity risks.