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Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Congressman Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) today introduced the bipartisan Safe Vehicle Access for Survivors Act, legislation that would establish a process for survivors of domestic violence to request the termination or disabling of connected vehicle services that could be misused by an abuser. 

Perpetrators of domestic violence often use methods of surveillance and control to harm their partners, and as newer vehicles become increasingly connected and collect significant amounts of data, they can provide new opportunities for abusers to harass and intimidate victims. 

“As cars become increasingly connected, we must ensure we’re keeping up with the technology to protect survivors from those who take advantage of it as a tool of abuse and control” Dingell said. “I will work tirelessly with my colleagues in Congress and all stakeholders – including auto companies, law enforcement, survivor advocacy organizations, and technology companies – to protect and create a safer environment for survivors, free from abuse.”

“Survivors of abuse shouldn’t have to choose between their safety and their ability to drive a car,” said Rep. Crenshaw. “Right now, an abuser can track a survivor’s vehicle through a manufacturer’s app, even after a court has granted them sole use of the car. That’s unacceptable. Data privacy standards must be updated to keep pace with the increasing volume of data collection. Our bill makes sure survivors can cut off their abuser’s access to connected vehicle services, giving them the freedom to move without fear.”

Specifically, the bill would require providers to make information on how survivors can request to terminate an abuser’s access publicly available, act upon a request without any fee or additional requirement imposed on the survivor, and treat the survivor’s information confidentially and securely. 

Ultimately, the Safe Vehicle Access for Survivors Act would enable survivors to end the connected vehicle services that put them at increased risk while safely maintaining access to a vehicle, which can be a critical tool to achieve safety and independence. 

This legislation is supported by the National Domestic Violence Hotline and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation.

"As technology continues to evolve, so do the ways abusive partners can use it to cause harm. Victims of domestic violence are regularly stalked and tracked by their abusers, and their safety must be considered when cars can be used to do just that. While no single policy can address every risk, the bipartisan Safe Vehicle Access for Survivors Act is a critical step toward ensuring safety,” said Marium Durrani, Vice President of Policy at The National Domestic Violence Hotline. “We appreciate Rep. Dingell’s and Rep. Crenshaw’s leadership in addressing this emerging threat, and we look forward to working with policymakers and industry leaders to continue strengthening protections for survivors in this increasingly connected age."

“Thank you to Representatives Dingell and Crenshaw for teaming up to provide needed protections to domestic violence survivors who are being stalked or harassed through connected vehicle services. That’s a misuse of this technology and entirely unacceptable,” said Hilary Cain, Senior Vice President of Policy, Alliance for Automotive Innovation. “Last year, automakers urged policymakers to pass a vehicle-specific law to safeguard domestic violence survivors from abuse via connected vehicle technology. And that’s exactly what this bipartisan bill does. It’s a commonsense plan to give domestic violence survivors the ability to terminate or disable their abuser’s access to shared connected vehicle services.”

Last year, Dingell led a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, urging the Commission to take proactive measures to address the threat of domestic abusers exploiting connectivity tools in vehicles to harass and intimidate their partners.

Dingell has long been a leader in Congress in combating domestic violence. She has led the Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act to close the boyfriend loophole and keep guns out of the hands of abusive dating partners and stalkers. In 2018, she established the Bipartisan Working Group to End Domestic Violence to bring together a bipartisan group of members to identify ways to strengthen resources and protections for survivors and their children.

She has been working to address funding shortfalls in the Victims of Crime Act’s (VOCA) Crime Victims Fund (CVF), the largest source of federal grant funding for victim services organizations, including organizations supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence, child abuse, stalking, and other crimes. 

She co-leads the Justice in Sentencing for Survivors Act, which authorizes the court to impose a sentence that is below the mandatory minimum if the offender’s crime is connected to their survivor status, and the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which bans the publication of non-consensual intimate images (also known as deepfakes) prohibits their distribution and creates a criminal penalty for doing so, and requires websites to have a removal process.

See a summary of the bill here. See the full bill text here.