SeDaFa

The internet has long since made its way into the automotive industry. Connected vehicles that send data to automakers, repair shops, insurance companies, and parts manufacturers are now a reality. On the one hand, this massive volume of data enables many new applications and business models. On the other hand, it poses new risks and significant data protection challenges.

The goal of the SeDaFa project (Self-Data Protection in Connected Vehicles) is to develop solutions for the self-data protection of drivers and passengers that can be used by vehicle manufacturers, infrastructure providers, and automotive app developers alike to design their business models in a privacy-friendly manner. Car users should be provided with transparent and clear information about which data is transmitted and for what purposes it can be used—on this basis, vehicle users should be able to decide for themselves which data they wish to disclose. The goal is not to completely block the flow of data, but rather to ensure that access to vehicle data is granted in a way that protects privacy. To achieve this, experts from various disciplines are collaborating on the SeDaFa project, taking into account not only technical aspects but also legal considerations and user-friendliness in the solutions being developed.

Technical Concepts from Fraunhofer SIT

As part of SeDaFa, experts at Fraunhofer SIT are developing technical concepts for how a customer can grant a car manufacturer or a repair shop access to their vehicle data without compromising their privacy. This involves, among other things

• An analysis of all data streams from control units, telematics units, sensors, and infotainment systems—which data flows where
• An assessment of the potential consequences for the user
• An assessment of whether this data is personally identifiable or not

Together with the interdisciplinary SeDaFa project team, Fraunhofer SIT is developing, among other things, a prototype that demonstrates how charging and billing for an electric car can be carried out securely without allowing electricity providers and billing agencies to create movement profiles of the vehicle. In addition, an HMI demonstrator is being developed to inform users about data protection aspects and provide them with self-determined control over their vehicle data.

Project budget

SeDaFa has a budget of 1.77 million euros, 84 percent of which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).