Oregon is poised to become one of the first states to explicitly extend consumer privacy protections to data collected by modern vehicles, following the passage of House Bill 3785 by both chambers of the state Legislature and the governor's signature.
The bill, approved unanimously in the Oregon Senate on May 15 and signed by Gov. Tina Kotek on May 27, will require automakers to comply with consumer requests to delete personal data, provide access to that data, and halt the sale or use of the data for targeted advertising.
"Analysts have called cars a privacy nightmare," said Sen. Khanh Pham, D-Portland, a co-sponsor of the legislation. "Reviewers of all 25 major car brands learned carmakers are sharing or selling information they say shows the driver’s preferences, characteristics, psychological trends, predispositions, behavior, attitudes, intelligence, abilities and aptitudes."
Supporters of the bill argue that vehicles today function like rolling data centers, collecting extensive personal information via sensors, microphones, onboard cameras and paired smartphones. This data can reveal sensitive details about a driver’s habits and behavior, raising concerns over surveillance and consumer autonomy.
The legislation aligns Oregon with broader trends in digital privacy rights and reinforces consumer control over personal data in increasingly connected environments. The law will apply to all automakers doing business in Oregon.
