The technologies behind vehicle tracking have come a long way in recent years. The latest systems are capable of tracking individual vehicles to almost any location on the planet in real-time. Many systems can also monitor various key metrics such as fuel consumption, accidents, and driving behaviour. And these technologies are more readily available to businesses than ever before, with powerful devices and software more affordable and easier to use than ever. This benefits companies in many ways, helping them to co-ordinate their fleets more effectively, boost efficiency, and cut costs.
However, with more wide-reaching vehicle tracking, there are enormous quantities of data being collected. With this inevitably come concerns about privacy and the use of the data. What data should be collected? How should it be stored? What kind of permissions do you need from drivers? These kinds of questions can be concerning for drivers and businesses alike.
To deal with these kinds of privacy concerns, there are a few general guidelines that anyone using vehicle tracking can follow. In this post, we take a look at the issue of privacy in vehicle tracking, as well as some of the simplest ways to address them.
Data privacy: what are the privacy concerns surrounding vehicle tracking?
Privacy concerns have been growing since the digital age began and companies started collecting data. As the amount of data collection grows, so are these concerns. Now, the average person’s data is being collected by multiple companies every day, so the job of respecting and protecting privacy is more important, and more challenging than ever.
When it comes to vehicle tracking, data collection is a necessary part of the process. In order to monitor the location of vehicles and track vehicle metrics, the tracking systems have to collect certain data, store it, and analyse it. This can include GPS data, dashcam footage, and more, depending on which metrics are required.
For the businesses doing the tracking, this data is very useful, and it is only collected in order to optimise fleet usage. However, there are real people involved (the drivers) in the collection. Ethically, it’s important that their concerns should be respected whenever implementing vehicle tracking systems. Additionally, there are often legal requirements, with a range of regulations supporting privacy rights. The specifics vary from country to country, but they generally relate to data collection, storage, use, sharing, and disclosure.
Managing privacy concerns when using vehicle tracking
The exact strategy of addressing vehicle tracking privacy concerns will vary from business to business and industry to industry. However, there are some simple best practices that most organisations can follow to mitigate any concerns and ensure they’re on the right side of the relevant regulations. Here are some top tips for ensuring driver privacy concerns are met.
A clearly defined privacy policy
A clear, detailed privacy policy is crucial for any organisation that uses vehicle tracking and collects data, whether it’s simply vehicle location or more detailed information. Privacy policies should be offered to drivers in writing and be written in clear, easily understandable language.
As a general rule, your privacy policy should include details about your data tracking, storage, protection, and usage practices, as well as a business case to justify the type of tracking you’ll be doing. You should also account for the possibility of devices and/or data being stolen by making it clear what you will do to keep data safe in these situations.
Transparency
To address privacy concerns, it’s critical to have total honesty and transparency about the data you’re planning to collect, how you’re going to store that data, and how you may use it. In a lot of countries, including the UK, there are strict laws surrounding the tracking of drivers and their vehicles without informing the driver. In addition to these legal pressures, being as transparent as possible with drivers is also the most ethical choice, and it can help to avoid any disagreements or conflict about privacy.
With the wide variety of devices now available for vehicle tracking, it’s also important to be transparent about the kind of equipment you have installed. Some devices are designed to be hidden from view, but drivers should always be aware of what is in their vehicle.
Keep up to date with relevant laws
In the world of data, regulations change regularly to reflect new technology, practices, and public sentiment. Many of these changes are small, but some have a big impact. For example, GDPR had an enormous effect on the way organisations deal with data, globally.
To ensure you’re always on the right side of the law, be sure to stay up to date with privacy laws in your countries of operation. This way, you’ll know about any proposed regulatory changes before they happen and can adapt your practices in good time. Ideally, you should consult a lawyer or privacy expert about any legal obligations.
Software designed for privacy
Certain types of vehicle tracking systems and vehicle telematics systems are better designed for privacy than others. For example, some software comes with robust integrated privacy features, whereas others do no. Trakm8 prioritises privacy, offering devices with various integrated safety features, such as controls for drivers to switch between private and business trips, helping them retain control of their privacy.
Trakm8 vehicle tracking
With the wealth of data being collected every day globally, it’s no wonder that privacy is a growing concern for many people and businesses. The vehicle tracking industry is no exception, with the growing popularity and accessibility of powerful vehicle tracking systems adding to these concerns.
However, by choosing the right tech, you can ensure your business benefits from the power of advanced vehicle tracking while addressing any and all privacy concerns and staying on the right side of the law.
Trakm8 provides tailored vehicle tracking solutions with privacy as a priority. We offer a range of privacy-focused devices, customisable software, and expert advice on protecting your drivers’ privacy.
Get in touch today to learn more about our products, data privacy, and how we can help you optimise your fleet.
