California to review consumer data privacy in cars

California state regulators will review the data protection policies of car manufacturers as part of the state’s efforts on consumer privacy. The audit will focus on connected vehicles that tie in with drivers’ mobile phones to power popular infotainment features — like Apple Inc.’s CarPlay or Alphabet Inc.’s Android Auto.

“Modern vehicles are effectively connected computers on wheels,” Ashkan Soltani, executive director of the California Privacy Protection Agency, said in a statement Monday. “They’re able to collect a wealth of information via built-in apps, sensors, and cameras, which can monitor people both inside and near the vehicle.”