People tend to be more careful than ever before when it comes to their personal data. However, there is one area where they may forget to take the necessary steps to protect themselves. This is when they sell or trade in a car. We want to have a closer look at it today to see why it could be such a big issue. Then, if you want to learn more about starting a car broker service, you can come to us.
Infotainment systems
One of the most interesting things that has changed in vehicles over the years is the entertainment systems. The earliest models didn’t have any system at all. Radios surprisingly date back to the 1920s, but for decades they were largely luxuries or optional extras. In fact, many popular audio brands today, particularly Bose, have a history in creating car radios.
Radios with cassette players began appearing in the 70s. Then we got systems that could play CDs in the mid 80s. Today many modern vehicles have extensive infotainment systems with lots of features. You can sync your phone to most of them to make calls, listen to music, audiobooks or podcasts, and much more.
Data issue
The thing with infotainment systems is they can store lots of personal data. For example, they could include your home address for easy navigation. If you sync your phone, they could end up saving personal details such as the phone numbers of your contacts. Some even allow you to use apps and could ultimately leave the accounts and the details open.
The issue is that a lot of people forget to unsync devices and leave details stored on the infotainment system when they sell or trade in a vehicle. This is true whether they go to a dealer, sell privately, or choose a car broker service. It is an easy thing to forget, but could lead to big problems. In fact, a recent survey from CarWow saw 33% of responders report that the personal info of one or more previous owners was still there when they bought a used car.
An earlier study from Which in 2020 had some alarming findings too. It said that 79% of people who synced their phone did not try to factory reset a vehicle before they sold it. Plus, 58% did not attempt to manually delete data. Finally, 51% did not unsync their device.
What to do?
The best thing to do is carefully remove all data from the infotainment system. Ensure you don’t leave behind any contacts or addresses. Remember to unsync all devices. If you use the car’s app, there should be instructions to delete all data. You should also unpair it so you no longer have any association with the vehicle.
Some people think that dealers should have the responsibility to delete all data, particularly with GDPR rules. However, there is a lack of clarity here because of the allocation of responsibility. It comes back to who would be considered as the data ‘controller’. Instead of taking the risk, the vehicle owner should ensure they delete everything.
Do you want to start your own car broker service?
Auto Car Brokers strives to help everyone see the advantages of getting into broking. In addition, we want to give them the tools to start a business and be successful. You can buy a package of everything you need on our website or choose whichever elements you want. These resources can be incredibly useful, covering all the key topics.
So, if you want to learn more about offering a car broker service, browse today. Or, contact us for more details and answers if you have any questions.
