Washington, DC, Nov. 18, 2015 – As we move closer to the day when automated driving, vehicle to vehicle communication and artificial intelligence are a reality, automakers must continue to address concerns about privacy and cybersecurity threats, said a Toyota spokesman.
 
“As the ecosystem continues to evolve beyond the automotive companies, responsibility and accountability for protecting vehicles from potential cyber-attacks and for preserving consumer privacy should also evolve to include all the relevant players,” said Sandy Lobenstein, Toyota vice president, Connected Services and Product Planning. 
 
Testifying before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee joint-subcommittee hearing on the "Internet of Cars,” Lobenstein said the auto industry had developed voluntary privacy principles, which take effect in January, that include meaningful consumer protections on vehicle data use.
 
Stressing that consumer trust is essential to the success of these technologies and services, he said auto companies, like Toyota, “have already taken steps to apply and adapt recognized cybersecurity best practices and standards to vehicles and are committed to continuing work to mitigate new, emerging, and evolving cybersecurity risks.”
 
He noted that technology companies, telecommunications providers, insurance companies and others will continue to introduce products and technologies which are designed to interact directly with vehicles. 
 
“We strongly support government efforts to foster effective cyber threat information sharing, particularly among private companies, and to clarify the government’s roles and responsibilities,” he said.
 
Lobenstein indicated that Toyota supports cyber threat information legislation pending in Congress and is hopeful that it will enacted into law.
 
“Technologies made possible and enabled through connectivity may get us closer to our goal of a society where cars don’t crash and there are zero traffic fatalities,” Lobenstein said.