Personal data and the concept of consent under the EU General Data Protection Regulation With focus on data processing in and from vehicles

Abstract

This thesis analyzes some of the challenges in the intersection between law and technology. The topics reviewed are personal data and consent, as two important aspects of the European Union (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The thesis explores the GDPR from the perspective of data processed in and from vehicles, as an illustrative example of how the GDPR applies with the technological progress being made with such vehicles. With an increasing use of technology and intelligent solutions in vehicles for different purposes, the responsible parties of the processing are a wider category than before, stretching from automotive industry to many different operators in the digital industry , who must be aware of all the aspects and risks of processing this data, in and from the vehicles. Today, current vehicles driving on the road, as well as models coming in nearest years, use or offer technologies connected through communication networks, thus imposes a risk to our data protection and privacy. The data protection of individuals depends on the data-processing actors to treat the data responsibly. To understand the term and scope of “personal data” and the conditions for consent as a legal ground is, therefore, crucial to make the protection effective. This thesis gives an in-depth review of that, with the focus on vehicles to apply the law in a practical context on some of the implications the GDPR raises.