Sens. Markey, Blumenthal reintroduce bills to address vehicular cybersecurity vulnerabilities

U.S. Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) recently reintroduced two bills aimed at improving cybersecurity standards for both cars and aircraft.

The first bill, the Security and Privacy in Your Car (SPY Car) Act, would direct both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Trade Commission to establish federal standards for securing cars and protecting driver’s privacy rights. It also establishes a ratings system to inform consumers about how well the vehicle protects driver security and privacy beyond the minimum standards.

The Cybersecurity Standards for Aircraft to Improve Resilience (Cyber AIR) Act, would require the disclosure of information relating to cyberattacks on aircraft systems and would establish standards to identify and address cybersecurity vulnerabilities to the nation’s aviation systems. The bill also requests a report to study cybersecurity vulnerability of consumer Wi-Fi on planes.

“Whether in their cars on the road or in aircraft in the sky, Americans should be protected from cyberattack and violations of their privacy,” Markey said. “If hackers access the critical systems of a car or plane, disaster could ensue and our public safety could be compromised. We must ensure that as technologies change, our safety and privacy is maintained. I thank Senator Blumenthal for his partnership on this critical issue.”