An act relating to smartphone-connected vehicles
H.824 would require mobile app publishers that provide remote access to vehicles to build an in-app process allowing a person inside the vehicle to see whether any users are connected to that vehicle and to disconnect those users. The bill is aimed at smartphone-connected vehicles and the apps that can track location, start or stop a vehicle, or otherwise control vehicle functions remotely.
The disconnection process would have to be easy to use, no more burdensome than the process used to connect the vehicle, and available only to an occupant inside the vehicle. It could not require special tools, technical skills, separate consent from the vehicle manufacturer or app publisher, or permission from the user being disconnected. The app would have to complete the disconnection within a reasonable time, and no later than 30 minutes after the occupant finishes the in-vehicle process.
The bill would add a new consumer-protection requirement in 9 V.S.A. § 2466e for app publishers serving telematics-enabled vehicles. A violation would be treated as a violation of 9 V.S.A. § 2453, Vermont’s general consumer protection enforcement provision, making the requirement enforceable under existing consumer protection law. The measure would affect app publishers, vehicle manufacturers, and users of connected-vehicle technology by creating a right for an in-vehicle occupant to sever remote app access to the vehicle.
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of legislative debate or formal support/opposition in the available record. Based on the bill text, the proposal appears motivated by consumer privacy, safety, and control concerns rather than by regulation of vehicle performance. The overall tone of the bill is protective of vehicle occupants and skeptical of remote-access features that can be controlled by outside users.
The main point of contention is likely to be the balance between occupant control and the interests of app publishers, vehicle manufacturers, and remote users who may have legitimate access to the vehicle. Potential concerns include whether the required disconnection process could interfere with fleet management, shared vehicles, family access, or emergency-related remote functions, and whether the 30-minute deadline is operationally feasible. Another likely issue is whether the bill’s requirements should apply to app publishers alone or also directly to manufacturers that design the connected-vehicle systems.