Damion Smy Fuel prices to rise when excise cut ends within days 3 Hours Ago An electric vehicle advocacy group has called for tighter data laws for connected cars, citing regulations already introduced in Europe and China. Deputy News Editor Deputy News Editor The Australian Electric Vehicle Association (AEVA) has called on the federal government to introduce tougher laws governing the growing number of internet-enabled 'connected vehicles' on Australian roads. The EV advocacy body said Australia's privacy framework, based on the Privacy Act 1988 and voluntary industry standards for connected vehicles, is no longer robust enough to protect motorists or clearly define how vehicle data is collected, used, shared and owned. "With the expectation that 95 per cent of all new vehicles, including electric vehicles, sold in Australia by 2035 will be internet-enabled, consumer protection and national security risks will likely escalate without intervention," said the AEVA in a statement issued yesterday. Most major brands, including Ford, Toyota, BYD, GWM and Tesla, offer connected services, typically accessed through a smartphone app or built-in SIM card, allowing vehicles to communicate via the internet. Examples include Toyota Connected Services, FordPass, MG iSmart, Nissan Connected Services and the MySkoda app, which are available across petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric vehicles. "The threat extends to any modern vehicle equipped with an internal SIM card or telematics system capable of transmitting data to external locations – not just electric ones," the AEVA statement said. "Consumers nationwide continue to be let down by insufficient data privacy legislation," added AEVA president James Pickering. "Instead of instigating fear and distrust in the connected vehicles we drive, policymakers have the power to make effective changes to protect drivers and consumer choice." Earlier this year, the Australian Privacy Commissioner confirmed it was investigating two unnamed automakers over potential breaches of