Personal data stored in vehicle satnav and phones is going to be a headache for dealers in future.
Satnav address records and Bluetooth phone information stored on used cars and vans are set to create a headache for remarketing companies with the arrival of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) next year, says the Vehicle Remarketing Association.
The trade body, which represents companies that are involved in remarketing more than 1.5 million vehicles every year, says that the principle of personal data within GDPR means that the information should be removed before sale – but that doing so wasn’t always easy.
Sam Watkins, deputy chair at the VRA, said, “Anyone who has bought a used car in the last few years will know data such as satnav and phone records from the previous owner is often not removed when a vehicle is sold.
“It’s probably a good idea in general that this data should be deleted – it provides a very good indication of a person’s movements, work and social activities – but GDPR makes it a legal responsibility. At some point in the supply chain, it has to be deleted. The question is – who should be responsible for doing this?
“The problem is that each different manufacturer and sometimes different model has its own way of deleting these records, plus it is quite time consuming. If you are processing thousands of ex-fleet vehicles through an auction every week, it’s a genuine headache.
“There is no apparent, easy solution, but the VRA is looking at this issue and will be seeking guidance from manufacturers and others.”