Safe Vehicle Access for Survivors Act
The Safe Vehicle Access for Survivors Act creates a federal process to help survivors of abuse restrict an abuser’s access to a survivor’s connected vehicle services. When a survivor submits a request, covered providers (vehicle manufacturers or their affiliates or agents) must act within two business days to terminate or disable the abuser’s access, the survivor’s account, or the vehicle’s data connections, and may provide guidance on re-establishing access in a survivor-controlled way. The bill emphasizes survivor confidentiality, data minimization, and limits on sharing information. It also requires public-facing notices from providers about how to request action, and directs federal regulators (FCC and NHTSA) to develop rules to implement these protections, with the law pre-empting conflicting state or local rules. The overarching goal is to reduce risk to survivors by removing or limiting an abuser’s ability to access vehicle data and controls, while safeguarding survivor information and safety.
Key Points
- 1Connected vehicle service requests and action timeline: A survivor can request termination or disabling of an abuser’s access to a connected vehicle service. Covered providers must take action within 2 business days, which may include terminating the abuser’s service account, disabling vehicle data connections, or providing the survivor with safer re-setup options (including in-vehicle interface controls if available).
- 2Protection of survivor data and minimal information burden: Surivors’ submissions are treated as confidential and disposed of securely within 90 days. Providers may not share survivor information without consent unless necessary to fulfill the request, and survivors are not asked to provide information beyond what is required to make a valid request.
- 3Requirements for the request and proof of ownership/possession: To file a request, survivors must provide the vehicle identification number (VIN), the abuser’s name, and proof of ownership or exclusive possession of the vehicle (e.g., court orders or domestic violence-related orders naming the abuser). This ensures the action targets the correct vehicle and user.
- 4Notices and safety considerations: Providers must inform survivors about the status and timing of notices to abusers, offer the survivor multiple contact options, and, if the abuser still has access to the survivor’s email, provide opt-out options for notices. The law also allows action in emergency situations where ongoing access poses imminent harm, even beyond standard procedures.
- 5Federal rulemaking and preemption: The FCC (with NHTSA) must propose and then finalize rules to implement these protections, focusing on rapid revocation/disablement, confidentiality, data deletion, and survivor safety. The bill preempts conflicting state or local laws in this area.