Collection and Processing of Data in the Vehicle

In-vehicle data processing

Electronic control units are installed in your vehicle. These control units process data they, for example, receive from vehicle sensors, generate themselves or exchange with each other. Some control units are required for the safe operation of your vehicle, others provide you with support while driving (driver assistance systems) or enable comfort or infotainment functions.

General information on in-vehicle data processing is provided below. Further information regarding which specific data is collected and stored in your vehicle and transmitted to third parties, and for what purpose, can be found under the heading ‘data protection’ in the respective operating instructions where direct links are made to the affected functional specifications. These operating instructions are also available online and, depending on the vehicle configurations, in digital format on the vehicle.

Personal references

Every vehicle is identified by means of a unique vehicle identification number. This vehicle identification number is traceable to the current and former owners of the vehicle. Data collected from the vehicle also can be traced back to the owner or driver of the vehicle by other means, e.g., the number plate.

The data generated or processed by the control units therefore may be personal data or may, under certain circumstances, be personally identifiable data. Depending on what vehicle data is available, it may be possible to draw conclusions with regard to, for example, your driving behaviour, your location or your route, or consumption patterns.

Your rights with regard to data protection

Under current data protection law, you have certain rights with regard to companies which process your personal data.

Accordingly, you are entitled to request the comprehensive disclosure of information, free of charge, vis-a-vis the manufacturer and third parties (e.g., commissioned breakdown services or workshops, providers of online services on the vehicle), provided that these have stored personal data relating to you. You may request information regarding what data is stored about you, for what purpose and the origination of that data. Your right to information also extends to the transfer of data to other third parties.

For more information on your legal rights relating to Mazda (for example, your right to the deletion and correction of data), please refer to the applicable Data Protection Policy on the country-specific Mazda website, where contact details are also provided.

Data, which is exclusively stored locally on the vehicle, may be viewed with expert assistance, e.g., in a vehicle workshop, in return for payment if appropriate.

Legal requirements regarding the disclosure of data

To the extent that legal regulations exist, manufacturers are obliged to release information stored by them, at the request of public authorities, to the extent required on a case-by-case basis (e.g., when a criminal offence is being investigated).

Public authorities are also permitted to read the data from vehicles in specific cases, within the scope of applicable law. For example, in the event of an accident, information can be read from the air bag control unit to help clarify the circumstances of the accident.

Operational data on the vehicle

Control units process data in order to operate the vehicle.

These include, for example:

vehicle status information (e.g., speed, deceleration, lateral acceleration, wheel speed, seatbelt usage indicator),
environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, rain sensor, distance sensor).

These data are generally volatile and are not stored beyond the operating time, and only processed on the vehicle itself. Control units frequently contain data storage media. These can be used to document, either temporarily or permanently, information about the condition of the vehicle, component stress, maintenance requirements and technical events and failures.

The following information may be stored, depending on the technical configuration:

operating conditions of system components (e.g., fill levels, tyre pressures and battery status),
malfunctions and defects in important system components (e.g., lighting and brakes),
response of the system to extraordinary driving situations (e.g., deployment of an air bag, activation of stability control systems),
information on events in which the vehicle is damaged,
for electric vehicles, the state of charge of the high-voltage battery and the vehicle’s estimated range.

In particular cases (e.g., if the vehicle has detected a malfunction), it may be necessary to store data which would normally be volatile.

If you make use of services (e.g., repair and maintenance services), it may be possible, if necessary, to read out and use the stored operating data together with the vehicle identification number. The data from the vehicle may be read out by employees of the Mazda Network (e.g. authorised workshops, manufacturer) or by third parties (e.g., breakdown services, independent repair shops). The same applies in the case of warranty cases and quality assurance measures.

The data is usually read out via the mandatory OBD (on-board diagnostics) connection on the vehicle. The operating data read out document the technical conditions of the vehicle or individual components and help with fault diagnostics, compliance with warranty obligations and quality improvement. These data, in particular information regarding component stress, technical events, operating errors and other errors are transmitted to the manufacturer, if necessary, together with the vehicle identification number. In addition, product liability falls under the responsibility of the manufacturer. For this purpose, the manufacturer uses operating data external to the vehicles, for example, recall campaigns. These data also may be used to verify the customer’s statutory warranty and manufacturer warranty claims.

Error memory on the vehicle can be reset by a service operator within the course of repair and maintenance work or at your request.

Comfort and infotainment functions

You can store comfort settings and customisations on the vehicle, and change/reset these at any time.

Depending on the particular vehicle configurations, these may include:

seat and steering wheel position settings,
chassis adjustments and air-conditioning settings,
customisations such as interior lighting.

You are also able to incorporate data into the vehicle’s infotainment functions yourself within the context of the selected configuration.

Depending on the particular vehicle configurations, these may include:

multimedia data, e.g., music, films or photos for playback in an integrated multimedia system,
address book data for use in conjunction with an integrated hands-free system or integrated navigation system,
navigation destinations entered,
data relating to the use of internet services.

This data for comfort and infotainment functions may be stored locally on the vehicle or it may be located on a device that you have connected to your vehicle (e.g., smartphone, USB stick or MP3 player). Provided that you have entered this data yourself, you will be able to delete it at any time.

Transmission of this data from the vehicle is exclusively at your request, in particular, relating to the settings you have selected when using online services.

Smartphone integration, for example, Android Auto or Apple car play

If your vehicle is equipped accordingly, you will be able to connect your smartphone or another mobile device to the vehicle so that you can control it using the integrated control elements within the vehicle. Smartphone images and sounds can be output via the vehicle’s multimedia system. At the same time, specific information is transferred to your smartphone. Depending on the type of integration, this may include location data, antidazzle mode and other general vehicle information. Please familiarise yourself with the operating instructions for the vehicle/infotainment system.

Integration enables selected smartphone apps to be used, for example, navigation or music playback. Further interaction between the smartphone and the vehicle does not take place, in particular, active access to vehicle data. The nature of any further data processing is determined by the app provider. Whether and which settings can be used depends on the particular app and the operating system of your smartphone.

Online services

If your vehicle is equipped with a wireless network connection, this enables the exchange of data between your vehicle and other systems. The wireless connection is enabled by means of a transmission and receiving unit which is specific to the vehicle or via a mobile terminal (e.g., smartphone) that you have installed. Online functions can be used via this network connection. These include online services and applications (apps) provided to you by the manufacturer or another provider.

Services provided by the manufacturer

For our online services, the respective functions are described by Mazda in an appropriate place (e.g., in the operating instructions and/or on the country-specific Mazda website) and provided together with the associated data protection information. Personal data may be used to provide online services. The exchange of data for this purpose takes place via a protected connection, for example, using the IT systems intended for this. In addition to the provision of services, the collection, processing and use of personal data takes place exclusively on the basis of a legal permission, for example, in the case of emergency call systems required by law, by means of a contractual agreement or approval.

You can activate or deactivate the (sometimes chargeable) services and functions in the vehicle, and sometimes even the entire wireless connection. Functions and services required by law, such as emergency call systems, are excluded from this.

Third-party services

If you choose to make use of the online services of other providers (third parties), these services shall come under the responsibility of the respective provider and be subject to their data protection conditions and terms of use. The manufacturer generally has no influence with regard to the content exchanged in this way.

Please inform yourself about the nature, scope and purpose with regard to the collection and use of personal data within the context of third-party services by the respective service provider.

(For Europe)

Further information regarding data protection can be found on the Mazda website.

Please visit “https://www.mazdamotors.eu” to find your country-specific webpage.