Modern cars quietly keep a diary. Every mile, hard brake, Bluetooth handshake, and navigation ping gets logged somewhere. Most drivers assume that information lives with the vehicle they paid for. Lawmakers backing a new House bill say that assumption is wrong, and overdue for a fix.

Earlier this month, Rep. Diana Harshbarger of Tennessee District 1, joined by Rep. Randy Weber of Texas District 14 and Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania District 10, introduced H.R. 6687, formally titled the Data Rights to Information and Vehicle Electronic Records Act.

It goes by the simpler name DRIVER Act. The bill is now under consideration in the U.S. House and has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

“If you buy the car, you should own the data. It’s that simple.”

Harshbarger stated that bluntly in a press release. The bill would require automakers to give vehicle owners real-time access and control over all vehicle-generated data at no cost beyond the purchase price.

That access could come through a physical interface like the on-board diagnostics port or through wireless transmission, so long as it complies with voluntary cybersecurity standards such as ISO/SAE 24134.

Just as important, the bill bars restrictions on driver access and control

No paywalls, special decryption licenses, or proprietary tools. If the use is lawful, the owner gets the data.

Owners could also authorize third parties (like repair shops, insurers, or fleet managers) to access it. Oh, and as long as those parties are not owned or controlled by a foreign adversary.

Supporters argue the stakes go well beyond convenience. Perry said automakers are “secretly tracking where, when, and how you drive,” calling it “an obvious threat to your Constitutional right to privacy.”

The bill also gives owners the ability to delete stored data and to opt out of any sale of covered data

Automakers would be prohibited from selling that information without offering a “clear and conspicuous opportunity” to decline.

“Covered data” includes biometric identifiers, precise geolocation, driver behavior, and data pulled from personal devices connected to the vehicle. Deidentified, pseudonymous, aggregate, and publicly available information would be excluded.

Weber framed it as a response to a data free-for-all. “In a day and age where data collection is the new gold rush, Americans shouldn’t lose control over their own personal information just by turning the key in their car,” he said.

According to Repairer Driven News, the American Vehicle Owners Alliance backs the bill, arguing it would stop manufacturers from locking owners out or charging extra fees for access. Executive Director Richard Ward said automakers have long “held the keys not just to our vehicles, but also to the data we generate by driving them.”

At its core, the DRIVER Act treats vehicle data like the glovebox

It belongs to the owner. What happens next depends on whether Congress agrees that buying the car should still mean owning what it produces.