Recent research, Driving Blind: The Unexamined Risk of Connected Cars, by Katharine Kemp at UNSW, highlights serious flaws in the data practices of new internet-connected cars in Australia, emphasising the need for urgent reform in privacy laws. 

While modern cars offer useful features like automatic accident detection and alerts for children left in back seats, they also function as advanced surveillance devices. The data they collect can create detailed profiles of drivers, posing privacy and security risks if misused.

The report analysed the privacy policies of fifteen popular car brands and revealed significant barriers for consumers trying to understand the privacy terms. Some brands inaccurately claim that certain information isn’t “personal,” suggesting that the Privacy Act doesn’t apply. Moreover, some companies repurpose personal data for marketing or research and share it with third parties.

Wesnet’s Technology Safety Specialists participated in a panel discussion on privacy and -security regulations for Connected Cars at UNSW on May 2, 2025 where the Privacy Commissioner, Carly Kind, delivered the keynote address.