FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION  WASHINGTON        OFFICE OF THE          CHAIRWOMAN             January 11, 2024 James D. Farley, Jr. President and Chief Executive Officer Ford Motor Company One American Road Dearborn, MI 48126 Dear Mr. Farley, A little over a week ago, The New York Times published a chilling report that describes how connected cars are being weaponized in abusive relationships.1 As you know, modern cars offer a range of features that improve convenience for drivers, like assistance locating a car in a parking lot, turning a car on remotely, and connecting with first responders in an emergency without a phone. But as the report noted, these features rely on wireless connectivity and location data that in the wrong hands can be used to harm partners in abusive relationships in a number of ways. For example, the report recounts in detail how a woman was tracked by a former partner through connected services associated with the car she was using. In another example, a man used his remote access to the car to harass his wife by activating the car’s lights and horns a night and running the car’s heat on hot days. The report finds that car makers have been reluctant or unwilling to assist victims of this abuse or restrict abusive partner access to the car’s connectivity and data—particularly when a victim co-owns the vehicle or is not named on its title. Last year, the Federal Communications Commission was charged with implementing the Safe Connections Act. This law provides the FCC with authority to assist survivors of domestic violence and abuse with secure access to communications. Congress recognized that communications services, such as through phones, are lifelines for survivors of domestic violence and abuse, and that a phone is a gateway to building a new life, away from harm. In our first order implementing this statute, we required covered providers to separate phone lines linked to family plans where the abuser is on the account. With this option, survivors can safely separate from family plans and keep their phone and phone number—keeping them connected to their friends, family, and supporters. Having access to a car is also a critical lifeline. It is means of escape and independence, and it is often essential for those seeking employment and support. No survivor of domestic violence and abuse should have to choose between giving up their car and allowing themselves to be stalked and harmed by those who can access its data and connectivity.   1 Kashmir Hill, “Your Car is Tracking You. Abusive Partners May Be, Too. Apps that remotely track and control cars are being weaponized by abusive partners. Car manufacturers have been slow to responds, according to victims and experts.” The New York Times, Dec. 31, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/31/technology/car-trackers- gps-abuse.html. Page 2   Cars today are sometimes called “smartphones on wheels.” This new level of connectivity raises questions about whether car manufacturers and the connectivity they are facilitating in cars may be “covered providers” under the Safe Connections Act, which was specifically enacted to address where “perpetrators of violence and abuse . . . increasingly use technological and communications tools to exercise control over, monitor, and abuse their victims.”2 To assist us at the FCC in understanding how we can better fulfill our duties under the Safe Connections Act and help survivors of domestic violence, we request that you please respond to the following questions: (1) Please describe in detail the connectivity options that your company pre-installs or has plans to pre-install in the future in any vehicles you sell in the United States. Please include in your response information about the following: a. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for tracking the vehicle’s location, whether in real-time or historically. b. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for remote access and/or control to the vehicle’s lights, horns, air conditioning, heating or other features. c. The ability to call an S.O.S. service or call emergency services. d. The use of wireless spectrum—such as licensed, unlicensed or satellite bands—to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. e. The availability of a phone number that is unique to the vehicle. f. Identify each communications provider that your company has any business relationship, contracts, partnerships, or other formal connections to in relation to connectivity options (e.g., services, features, and capabilities, or other connected car services) pre-installed in any of your automobiles. For each identified communications company, identify and describe all such services (whether currently provided or planned for future provision). g. State whether your company (including any related company, such as a parent, affiliate, or wholly-owned subsidiary) operates as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) or as another communications provider in order to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. (2) Does your company have policies or processes in place to remove access to connected apps, devices, or other features from certain individuals—including those listed on the title of the vehicle—at the request of survivors of domestic violence or abuse? If so, please describe in detail each policy or process. (3) How does your company retain, share, and/or sell a driver’s geolocation data that is collected by connected apps, devices, or other features included in your vehicles?   2 Safe Connections Act of 2022, Pub. L. No. 117-223, 136 Stat. 2280 (2022) (codified at 47 U.S.C. § 345). Page 3   Please send your response to the undersigned via e-mail (jessica.rosenworcel@fcc.gov) by January 26, 2024. Sincerely, cc: Christina Michaels   FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION  WASHINGTON        OFFICE OF THE          CHAIRWOMAN             January 11, 2024 Mary Barra Chair and Chief Executive Officer General Motors Company 300 Renaissance Center Detroit, MI 48265 Dear Ms. Barra, A little over a week ago, The New York Times published a chilling report that describes how connected cars are being weaponized in abusive relationships.1 As you know, modern cars offer a range of features that improve convenience for drivers, like assistance locating a car in a parking lot, turning a car on remotely, and connecting with first responders in an emergency without a phone. But as the report noted, these features rely on wireless connectivity and location data that in the wrong hands can be used to harm partners in abusive relationships in a number of ways. For example, the report recounts in detail how a woman was tracked by a former partner through connected services associated with the car she was using. In another example, a man used his remote access to the car to harass his wife by activating the car’s lights and horns a night and running the car’s heat on hot days. The report finds that car makers have been reluctant or unwilling to assist victims of this abuse or restrict abusive partner access to the car’s connectivity and data—particularly when a victim co-owns the vehicle or is not named on its title. Last year, the Federal Communications Commission was charged with implementing the Safe Connections Act. This law provides the FCC with authority to assist survivors of domestic violence and abuse with secure access to communications. Congress recognized that communications services, such as through phones, are lifelines for survivors of domestic violence and abuse, and that a phone is a gateway to building a new life, away from harm. In our first order implementing this statute, we required covered providers to separate phone lines linked to family plans where the abuser is on the account. With this option, survivors can safely separate from family plans and keep their phone and phone number—keeping them connected to their friends, family, and supporters. Having access to a car is also a critical lifeline. It is means of escape and independence, and it is often essential for those seeking employment and support. No survivor of domestic violence and abuse should have to choose between giving up their car and allowing themselves to be stalked and harmed by those who can access its data and connectivity.   1 Kashmir Hill, “Your Car is Tracking You. Abusive Partners May Be, Too. Apps that remotely track and control cars are being weaponized by abusive partners. Car manufacturers have been slow to responds, according to victims and experts.” The New York Times, Dec. 31, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/31/technology/car-trackers- gps-abuse.html. Page 2   Cars today are sometimes called “smartphones on wheels.” This new level of connectivity raises questions about whether car manufacturers and the connectivity they are facilitating in cars may be “covered providers” under the Safe Connections Act, which was specifically enacted to address where “perpetrators of violence and abuse . . . increasingly use technological and communications tools to exercise control over, monitor, and abuse their victims.”2 To assist us at the FCC in understanding how we can better fulfill our duties under the Safe Connections Act and help survivors of domestic violence, we request that you please respond to the following questions: (1) Please describe in detail the connectivity options that your company pre-installs or has plans to pre-install in the future in any vehicles you sell in the United States. Please include in your response information about the following: a. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for tracking the vehicle’s location, whether in real-time or historically. b. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for remote access and/or control to the vehicle’s lights, horns, air conditioning, heating or other features. c. The ability to call an S.O.S. service or call emergency services. d. The use of wireless spectrum—such as licensed, unlicensed or satellite bands—to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. e. The availability of a phone number that is unique to the vehicle. f. Identify each communications provider that your company has any business relationship, contracts, partnerships, or other formal connections to in relation to connectivity options (e.g., services, features, and capabilities, or other connected car services) pre-installed in any of your automobiles. For each identified communications company, identify and describe all such services (whether currently provided or planned for future provision). g. State whether your company (including any related company, such as a parent, affiliate, or wholly-owned subsidiary) operates as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) or as another communications provider in order to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. (2) Does your company have policies or processes in place to remove access to connected apps, devices, or other features from certain individuals—including those listed on the title of the vehicle—at the request of survivors of domestic violence or abuse? If so, please describe in detail each policy or process. (3) How does your company retain, share, and/or sell a driver’s geolocation data that is collected by connected apps, devices, or other features included in your vehicles?   2 Safe Connections Act of 2022, Pub. L. No. 117-223, 136 Stat. 2280 (2022) (codified at 47 U.S.C. § 345). Page 3   Please send your response to the undersigned via e-mail (jessica.rosenworcel@fcc.gov) by January 26, 2024. Sincerely, cc: Suzanne Miklos   FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION  WASHINGTON        OFFICE OF THE          CHAIRWOMAN             January 11, 2024 Noriya Kaihara President and Chief Executive Officer American Honda Motor Co., Inc. 1919 Torrance Blvd Torrance, CA 90501 Dear Mr. Kaihara, A little over a week ago, The New York Times published a chilling report that describes how connected cars are being weaponized in abusive relationships.1 As you know, modern cars offer a range of features that improve convenience for drivers, like assistance locating a car in a parking lot, turning a car on remotely, and connecting with first responders in an emergency without a phone. But as the report noted, these features rely on wireless connectivity and location data that in the wrong hands can be used to harm partners in abusive relationships in a number of ways. For example, the report recounts in detail how a woman was tracked by a former partner through connected services associated with the car she was using. In another example, a man used his remote access to the car to harass his wife by activating the car’s lights and horns a night and running the car’s heat on hot days. The report finds that car makers have been reluctant or unwilling to assist victims of this abuse or restrict abusive partner access to the car’s connectivity and data—particularly when a victim co-owns the vehicle or is not named on its title. Last year, the Federal Communications Commission was charged with implementing the Safe Connections Act. This law provides the FCC with authority to assist survivors of domestic violence and abuse with secure access to communications. Congress recognized that communications services, such as through phones, are lifelines for survivors of domestic violence and abuse, and that a phone is a gateway to building a new life, away from harm. In our first order implementing this statute, we required covered providers to separate phone lines linked to family plans where the abuser is on the account. With this option, survivors can safely separate from family plans and keep their phone and phone number—keeping them connected to their friends, family, and supporters. Having access to a car is also a critical lifeline. It is means of escape and independence, and it is often essential for those seeking employment and support. No survivor of domestic violence and abuse should have to choose between giving up their car and allowing themselves to be stalked and harmed by those who can access its data and connectivity.   1 Kashmir Hill, “Your Car is Tracking You. Abusive Partners May Be, Too. Apps that remotely track and control cars are being weaponized by abusive partners. Car manufacturers have been slow to responds, according to victims and experts.” The New York Times, Dec. 31, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/31/technology/car-trackers- gps-abuse.html. Page 2   Cars today are sometimes called “smartphones on wheels.” This new level of connectivity raises questions about whether car manufacturers and the connectivity they are facilitating in cars may be “covered providers” under the Safe Connections Act, which was specifically enacted to address where “perpetrators of violence and abuse . . . increasingly use technological and communications tools to exercise control over, monitor, and abuse their victims.”2 To assist us at the FCC in understanding how we can better fulfill our duties under the Safe Connections Act and help survivors of domestic violence, we request that you please respond to the following questions: (1) Please describe in detail the connectivity options that your company pre-installs or has plans to pre-install in the future in any vehicles you sell in the United States. Please include in your response information about the following: a. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for tracking the vehicle’s location, whether in real-time or historically. b. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for remote access and/or control to the vehicle’s lights, horns, air conditioning, heating or other features. c. The ability to call an S.O.S. service or call emergency services. d. The use of wireless spectrum—such as licensed, unlicensed or satellite bands—to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. e. The availability of a phone number that is unique to the vehicle. f. Identify each communications provider that your company has any business relationship, contracts, partnerships, or other formal connections to in relation to connectivity options (e.g., services, features, and capabilities, or other connected car services) pre-installed in any of your automobiles. For each identified communications company, identify and describe all such services (whether currently provided or planned for future provision). g. State whether your company (including any related company, such as a parent, affiliate, or wholly-owned subsidiary) operates as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) or as another communications provider in order to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. (2) Does your company have policies or processes in place to remove access to connected apps, devices, or other features from certain individuals—including those listed on the title of the vehicle—at the request of survivors of domestic violence or abuse? If so, please describe in detail each policy or process. (3) How does your company retain, share, and/or sell a driver’s geolocation data that is collected by connected apps, devices, or other features included in your vehicles?   2 Safe Connections Act of 2022, Pub. L. No. 117-223, 136 Stat. 2280 (2022) (codified at 47 U.S.C. § 345). Page 3   Please send your response to the undersigned via e-mail (jessica.rosenworcel@fcc.gov) by January 26, 2024. Sincerely, cc: Jack Alden   FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION  WASHINGTON        OFFICE OF THE          CHAIRWOMAN             January 11, 2024 José Muñoz President and Chief Executive Officer Hyundai Motor America, Inc. 10550 Talbert Avenue Fountain Valley, CA 92708 Dear Mr. Muñoz, A little over a week ago, The New York Times published a chilling report that describes how connected cars are being weaponized in abusive relationships.1 As you know, modern cars offer a range of features that improve convenience for drivers, like assistance locating a car in a parking lot, turning a car on remotely, and connecting with first responders in an emergency without a phone. But as the report noted, these features rely on wireless connectivity and location data that in the wrong hands can be used to harm partners in abusive relationships in a number of ways. For example, the report recounts in detail how a woman was tracked by a former partner through connected services associated with the car she was using. In another example, a man used his remote access to the car to harass his wife by activating the car’s lights and horns a night and running the car’s heat on hot days. The report finds that car makers have been reluctant or unwilling to assist victims of this abuse or restrict abusive partner access to the car’s connectivity and data—particularly when a victim co-owns the vehicle or is not named on its title. Last year, the Federal Communications Commission was charged with implementing the Safe Connections Act. This law provides the FCC with authority to assist survivors of domestic violence and abuse with secure access to communications. Congress recognized that communications services, such as through phones, are lifelines for survivors of domestic violence and abuse, and that a phone is a gateway to building a new life, away from harm. In our first order implementing this statute, we required covered providers to separate phone lines linked to family plans where the abuser is on the account. With this option, survivors can safely separate from family plans and keep their phone and phone number—keeping them connected to their friends, family, and supporters. Having access to a car is also a critical lifeline. It is means of escape and independence, and it is often essential for those seeking employment and support. No survivor of domestic violence and abuse should have to choose between giving up their car and allowing themselves to be stalked and harmed by those who can access its data and connectivity.   1 Kashmir Hill, “Your Car is Tracking You. Abusive Partners May Be, Too. Apps that remotely track and control cars are being weaponized by abusive partners. Car manufacturers have been slow to responds, according to victims and experts.” The New York Times, Dec. 31, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/31/technology/car-trackers- gps-abuse.html. Page 2   Cars today are sometimes called “smartphones on wheels.” This new level of connectivity raises questions about whether car manufacturers and the connectivity they are facilitating in cars may be “covered providers” under the Safe Connections Act, which was specifically enacted to address where “perpetrators of violence and abuse . . . increasingly use technological and communications tools to exercise control over, monitor, and abuse their victims.”2 To assist us at the FCC in understanding how we can better fulfill our duties under the Safe Connections Act and help survivors of domestic violence, we request that you please respond to the following questions: (1) Please describe in detail the connectivity options that your company pre-installs or has plans to pre-install in the future in any vehicles you sell in the United States. Please include in your response information about the following: a. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for tracking the vehicle’s location, whether in real-time or historically. b. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for remote access and/or control to the vehicle’s lights, horns, air conditioning, heating or other features. c. The ability to call an S.O.S. service or call emergency services. d. The use of wireless spectrum—such as licensed, unlicensed or satellite bands—to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. e. The availability of a phone number that is unique to the vehicle. f. Identify each communications provider that your company has any business relationship, contracts, partnerships, or other formal connections to in relation to connectivity options (e.g., services, features, and capabilities, or other connected car services) pre-installed in any of your automobiles. For each identified communications company, identify and describe all such services (whether currently provided or planned for future provision). g. State whether your company (including any related company, such as a parent, affiliate, or wholly-owned subsidiary) operates as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) or as another communications provider in order to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. (2) Does your company have policies or processes in place to remove access to connected apps, devices, or other features from certain individuals—including those listed on the title of the vehicle—at the request of survivors of domestic violence or abuse? If so, please describe in detail each policy or process. (3) How does your company retain, share, and/or sell a driver’s geolocation data that is collected by connected apps, devices, or other features included in your vehicles?   2 Safe Connections Act of 2022, Pub. L. No. 117-223, 136 Stat. 2280 (2022) (codified at 47 U.S.C. § 345). Page 3   Please send your response to the undersigned via e-mail (jessica.rosenworcel@fcc.gov) by January 26, 2024. Sincerely, cc: Jason Erb   FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION  WASHINGTON        OFFICE OF THE          CHAIRWOMAN             January 11, 2024 Dimitris Psillakis President and Chief Executive Officer Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC One Mercedes-Benz Drive Sandy Springs, GA 30328 Dear Mr. Psillakis, A little over a week ago, The New York Times published a chilling report that describes how connected cars are being weaponized in abusive relationships.1 As you know, modern cars offer a range of features that improve convenience for drivers, like assistance locating a car in a parking lot, turning a car on remotely, and connecting with first responders in an emergency without a phone. But as the report noted, these features rely on wireless connectivity and location data that in the wrong hands can be used to harm partners in abusive relationships in a number of ways. For example, the report recounts in detail how a woman was tracked by a former partner through connected services associated with the car she was using. In another example, a man used his remote access to the car to harass his wife by activating the car’s lights and horns a night and running the car’s heat on hot days. The report finds that car makers have been reluctant or unwilling to assist victims of this abuse or restrict abusive partner access to the car’s connectivity and data—particularly when a victim co-owns the vehicle or is not named on its title. Last year, the Federal Communications Commission was charged with implementing the Safe Connections Act. This law provides the FCC with authority to assist survivors of domestic violence and abuse with secure access to communications. Congress recognized that communications services, such as through phones, are lifelines for survivors of domestic violence and abuse, and that a phone is a gateway to building a new life, away from harm. In our first order implementing this statute, we required covered providers to separate phone lines linked to family plans where the abuser is on the account. With this option, survivors can safely separate from family plans and keep their phone and phone number—keeping them connected to their friends, family, and supporters. Having access to a car is also a critical lifeline. It is means of escape and independence, and it is often essential for those seeking employment and support. No survivor of domestic violence and abuse should have to choose between giving up their car and allowing themselves to be stalked and harmed by those who can access its data and connectivity.   1 Kashmir Hill, “Your Car is Tracking You. Abusive Partners May Be, Too. Apps that remotely track and control cars are being weaponized by abusive partners. Car manufacturers have been slow to responds, according to victims and experts.” The New York Times, Dec. 31, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/31/technology/car-trackers- gps-abuse.html. Page 2   Cars today are sometimes called “smartphones on wheels.” This new level of connectivity raises questions about whether car manufacturers and the connectivity they are facilitating in cars may be “covered providers” under the Safe Connections Act, which was specifically enacted to address where “perpetrators of violence and abuse . . . increasingly use technological and communications tools to exercise control over, monitor, and abuse their victims.”2 To assist us at the FCC in understanding how we can better fulfill our duties under the Safe Connections Act and help survivors of domestic violence, we request that you please respond to the following questions: (1) Please describe in detail the connectivity options that your company pre-installs or has plans to pre-install in the future in any vehicles you sell in the United States. Please include in your response information about the following: a. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for tracking the vehicle’s location, whether in real-time or historically. b. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for remote access and/or control to the vehicle’s lights, horns, air conditioning, heating or other features. c. The ability to call an S.O.S. service or call emergency services. d. The use of wireless spectrum—such as licensed, unlicensed or satellite bands—to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. e. The availability of a phone number that is unique to the vehicle. f. Identify each communications provider that your company has any business relationship, contracts, partnerships, or other formal connections to in relation to connectivity options (e.g., services, features, and capabilities, or other connected car services) pre-installed in any of your automobiles. For each identified communications company, identify and describe all such services (whether currently provided or planned for future provision). g. State whether your company (including any related company, such as a parent, affiliate, or wholly-owned subsidiary) operates as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) or as another communications provider in order to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. (2) Does your company have policies or processes in place to remove access to connected apps, devices, or other features from certain individuals—including those listed on the title of the vehicle—at the request of survivors of domestic violence or abuse? If so, please describe in detail each policy or process. (3) How does your company retain, share, and/or sell a driver’s geolocation data that is collected by connected apps, devices, or other features included in your vehicles?   2 Safe Connections Act of 2022, Pub. L. No. 117-223, 136 Stat. 2280 (2022) (codified at 47 U.S.C. § 345). Page 3   Please send your response to the undersigned via e-mail (jessica.rosenworcel@fcc.gov) by January 26, 2024. Sincerely, cc: Anthony Zeph   FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION  WASHINGTON        OFFICE OF THE          CHAIRWOMAN             January 11, 2024 Jérémie Papin Chairperson Nissan North America, Inc. One Nissan Way Franklin, TN 37067 Dear Mr. Papin, A little over a week ago, The New York Times published a chilling report that describes how connected cars are being weaponized in abusive relationships.1 As you know, modern cars offer a range of features that improve convenience for drivers, like assistance locating a car in a parking lot, turning a car on remotely, and connecting with first responders in an emergency without a phone. But as the report noted, these features rely on wireless connectivity and location data that in the wrong hands can be used to harm partners in abusive relationships in a number of ways. For example, the report recounts in detail how a woman was tracked by a former partner through connected services associated with the car she was using. In another example, a man used his remote access to the car to harass his wife by activating the car’s lights and horns a night and running the car’s heat on hot days. The report finds that car makers have been reluctant or unwilling to assist victims of this abuse or restrict abusive partner access to the car’s connectivity and data—particularly when a victim co-owns the vehicle or is not named on its title. Last year, the Federal Communications Commission was charged with implementing the Safe Connections Act. This law provides the FCC with authority to assist survivors of domestic violence and abuse with secure access to communications. Congress recognized that communications services, such as through phones, are lifelines for survivors of domestic violence and abuse, and that a phone is a gateway to building a new life, away from harm. In our first order implementing this statute, we required covered providers to separate phone lines linked to family plans where the abuser is on the account. With this option, survivors can safely separate from family plans and keep their phone and phone number—keeping them connected to their friends, family, and supporters. Having access to a car is also a critical lifeline. It is means of escape and independence, and it is often essential for those seeking employment and support. No survivor of domestic violence and abuse should have to choose between giving up their car and allowing themselves to be stalked and harmed by those who can access its data and connectivity.   1 Kashmir Hill, “Your Car is Tracking You. Abusive Partners May Be, Too. Apps that remotely track and control cars are being weaponized by abusive partners. Car manufacturers have been slow to responds, according to victims and experts.” The New York Times, Dec. 31, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/31/technology/car-trackers- gps-abuse.html. Page 2   Cars today are sometimes called “smartphones on wheels.” This new level of connectivity raises questions about whether car manufacturers and the connectivity they are facilitating in cars may be “covered providers” under the Safe Connections Act, which was specifically enacted to address where “perpetrators of violence and abuse . . . increasingly use technological and communications tools to exercise control over, monitor, and abuse their victims.”2 To assist us at the FCC in understanding how we can better fulfill our duties under the Safe Connections Act and help survivors of domestic violence, we request that you please respond to the following questions: (1) Please describe in detail the connectivity options that your company pre-installs or has plans to pre-install in the future in any vehicles you sell in the United States. Please include in your response information about the following: a. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for tracking the vehicle’s location, whether in real-time or historically. b. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for remote access and/or control to the vehicle’s lights, horns, air conditioning, heating or other features. c. The ability to call an S.O.S. service or call emergency services. d. The use of wireless spectrum—such as licensed, unlicensed or satellite bands—to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. e. The availability of a phone number that is unique to the vehicle. f. Identify each communications provider that your company has any business relationship, contracts, partnerships, or other formal connections to in relation to connectivity options (e.g., services, features, and capabilities, or other connected car services) pre-installed in any of your automobiles. For each identified communications company, identify and describe all such services (whether currently provided or planned for future provision). g. State whether your company (including any related company, such as a parent, affiliate, or wholly-owned subsidiary) operates as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) or as another communications provider in order to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. (2) Does your company have policies or processes in place to remove access to connected apps, devices, or other features from certain individuals—including those listed on the title of the vehicle—at the request of survivors of domestic violence or abuse? If so, please describe in detail each policy or process. (3) How does your company retain, share, and/or sell a driver’s geolocation data that is collected by connected apps, devices, or other features included in your vehicles?   2 Safe Connections Act of 2022, Pub. L. No. 117-223, 136 Stat. 2280 (2022) (codified at 47 U.S.C. § 345). Page 3   Please send your response to the undersigned via e-mail (jessica.rosenworcel@fcc.gov) by January 26, 2024. Sincerely, cc: Emily Landry   FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION  WASHINGTON        OFFICE OF THE          CHAIRWOMAN             January 11, 2024 Mark Stewart Chief Operating Officer Stellantis North America, LLC 1000 Chrysler Dr. Auburn Hills, MI 48326 Dear Mr. Stewart, A little over a week ago, The New York Times published a chilling report that describes how connected cars are being weaponized in abusive relationships.1 As you know, modern cars offer a range of features that improve convenience for drivers, like assistance locating a car in a parking lot, turning a car on remotely, and connecting with first responders in an emergency without a phone. But as the report noted, these features rely on wireless connectivity and location data that in the wrong hands can be used to harm partners in abusive relationships in a number of ways. For example, the report recounts in detail how a woman was tracked by a former partner through connected services associated with the car she was using. In another example, a man used his remote access to the car to harass his wife by activating the car’s lights and horns a night and running the car’s heat on hot days. The report finds that car makers have been reluctant or unwilling to assist victims of this abuse or restrict abusive partner access to the car’s connectivity and data—particularly when a victim co-owns the vehicle or is not named on its title. Last year, the Federal Communications Commission was charged with implementing the Safe Connections Act. This law provides the FCC with authority to assist survivors of domestic violence and abuse with secure access to communications. Congress recognized that communications services, such as through phones, are lifelines for survivors of domestic violence and abuse, and that a phone is a gateway to building a new life, away from harm. In our first order implementing this statute, we required covered providers to separate phone lines linked to family plans where the abuser is on the account. With this option, survivors can safely separate from family plans and keep their phone and phone number—keeping them connected to their friends, family, and supporters. Having access to a car is also a critical lifeline. It is means of escape and independence, and it is often essential for those seeking employment and support. No survivor of domestic violence and abuse should have to choose between giving up their car and allowing themselves to be stalked and harmed by those who can access its data and connectivity.   1 Kashmir Hill, “Your Car is Tracking You. Abusive Partners May Be, Too. Apps that remotely track and control cars are being weaponized by abusive partners. Car manufacturers have been slow to responds, according to victims and experts.” The New York Times, Dec. 31, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/31/technology/car-trackers- gps-abuse.html. Page 2   Cars today are sometimes called “smartphones on wheels.” This new level of connectivity raises questions about whether car manufacturers and the connectivity they are facilitating in cars may be “covered providers” under the Safe Connections Act, which was specifically enacted to address where “perpetrators of violence and abuse . . . increasingly use technological and communications tools to exercise control over, monitor, and abuse their victims.”2 To assist us at the FCC in understanding how we can better fulfill our duties under the Safe Connections Act and help survivors of domestic violence, we request that you please respond to the following questions: (1) Please describe in detail the connectivity options that your company pre-installs or has plans to pre-install in the future in any vehicles you sell in the United States. Please include in your response information about the following: a. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for tracking the vehicle’s location, whether in real-time or historically. b. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for remote access and/or control to the vehicle’s lights, horns, air conditioning, heating or other features. c. The ability to call an S.O.S. service or call emergency services. d. The use of wireless spectrum—such as licensed, unlicensed or satellite bands—to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. e. The availability of a phone number that is unique to the vehicle. f. Identify each communications provider that your company has any business relationship, contracts, partnerships, or other formal connections to in relation to connectivity options (e.g., services, features, and capabilities, or other connected car services) pre-installed in any of your automobiles. For each identified communications company, identify and describe all such services (whether currently provided or planned for future provision). g. State whether your company (including any related company, such as a parent, affiliate, or wholly-owned subsidiary) operates as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) or as another communications provider in order to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. (2) Does your company have policies or processes in place to remove access to connected apps, devices, or other features from certain individuals—including those listed on the title of the vehicle—at the request of survivors of domestic violence or abuse? If so, please describe in detail each policy or process. (3) How does your company retain, share, and/or sell a driver’s geolocation data that is collected by connected apps, devices, or other features included in your vehicles?   2 Safe Connections Act of 2022, Pub. L. No. 117-223, 136 Stat. 2280 (2022) (codified at 47 U.S.C. § 345). Page 3   Please send your response to the undersigned via e-mail (jessica.rosenworcel@fcc.gov) by January 26, 2024. Sincerely, cc: Alan Degraw  FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION  WASHINGTON        OFFICE OF THE          CHAIRWOMAN             January 11, 2024 Elon Musk Chief Executive Officer Tesla, Inc. 13101 Harold Green Road Austin, TX 78725 Dear Mr. Musk, A little over a week ago, The New York Times published a chilling report that describes how connected cars are being weaponized in abusive relationships.1 As you know, modern cars offer a range of features that improve convenience for drivers, like assistance locating a car in a parking lot, turning a car on remotely, and connecting with first responders in an emergency without a phone. But as the report noted, these features rely on wireless connectivity and location data that in the wrong hands can be used to harm partners in abusive relationships in a number of ways. For example, the report recounts in detail how a woman was tracked by a former partner through connected services associated with the car she was using. In another example, a man used his remote access to the car to harass his wife by activating the car’s lights and horns a night and running the car’s heat on hot days. The report finds that car makers have been reluctant or unwilling to assist victims of this abuse or restrict abusive partner access to the car’s connectivity and data—particularly when a victim co-owns the vehicle or is not named on its title. Last year, the Federal Communications Commission was charged with implementing the Safe Connections Act. This law provides the FCC with authority to assist survivors of domestic violence and abuse with secure access to communications. Congress recognized that communications services, such as through phones, are lifelines for survivors of domestic violence and abuse, and that a phone is a gateway to building a new life, away from harm. In our first order implementing this statute, we required covered providers to separate phone lines linked to family plans where the abuser is on the account. With this option, survivors can safely separate from family plans and keep their phone and phone number—keeping them connected to their friends, family, and supporters. Having access to a car is also a critical lifeline. It is means of escape and independence, and it is often essential for those seeking employment and support. No survivor of domestic violence and abuse should have to choose between giving up their car and allowing themselves to be stalked and harmed by those who can access its data and connectivity.   1 Kashmir Hill, “Your Car is Tracking You. Abusive Partners May Be, Too. Apps that remotely track and control cars are being weaponized by abusive partners. Car manufacturers have been slow to responds, according to victims and experts.” The New York Times, Dec. 31, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/31/technology/car-trackers- gps-abuse.html. Page 2   Cars today are sometimes called “smartphones on wheels.” This new level of connectivity raises questions about whether car manufacturers and the connectivity they are facilitating in cars may be “covered providers” under the Safe Connections Act, which was specifically enacted to address where “perpetrators of violence and abuse . . . increasingly use technological and communications tools to exercise control over, monitor, and abuse their victims.”2 To assist us at the FCC in understanding how we can better fulfill our duties under the Safe Connections Act and help survivors of domestic violence, we request that you please respond to the following questions: (1) Please describe in detail the connectivity options that your company pre-installs or has plans to pre-install in the future in any vehicles you sell in the United States. Please include in your response information about the following: a. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for tracking the vehicle’s location, whether in real-time or historically. b. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for remote access and/or control to the vehicle’s lights, horns, air conditioning, heating or other features. c. The ability to call an S.O.S. service or call emergency services. d. The use of wireless spectrum—such as licensed, unlicensed or satellite bands—to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. e. The availability of a phone number that is unique to the vehicle. f. Identify each communications provider that your company has any business relationship, contracts, partnerships, or other formal connections to in relation to connectivity options (e.g., services, features, and capabilities, or other connected car services) pre-installed in any of your automobiles. For each identified communications company, identify and describe all such services (whether currently provided or planned for future provision). g. State whether your company (including any related company, such as a parent, affiliate, or wholly-owned subsidiary) operates as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) or as another communications provider in order to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. (2) Does your company have policies or processes in place to remove access to connected apps, devices, or other features from certain individuals—including those listed on the title of the vehicle—at the request of survivors of domestic violence or abuse? If so, please describe in detail each policy or process. (3) How does your company retain, share, and/or sell a driver’s geolocation data that is collected by connected apps, devices, or other features included in your vehicles?   2 Safe Connections Act of 2022, Pub. L. No. 117-223, 136 Stat. 2280 (2022) (codified at 47 U.S.C. § 345). Page 3   Please send your response to the undersigned via e-mail (jessica.rosenworcel@fcc.gov) by January 26, 2024. Sincerely, cc: Eric Williams   FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION  WASHINGTON        OFFICE OF THE          CHAIRWOMAN             January 11, 2024 Tetsuo “Ted” Ogawa President and Chief Executive Officer Toyota Motor North America, Inc. 6565 Headquarters Drive Plano, TX 75024 Dear Mr. Ogawa, A little over a week ago, The New York Times published a chilling report that describes how connected cars are being weaponized in abusive relationships.1 As you know, modern cars offer a range of features that improve convenience for drivers, like assistance locating a car in a parking lot, turning a car on remotely, and connecting with first responders in an emergency without a phone. But as the report noted, these features rely on wireless connectivity and location data that in the wrong hands can be used to harm partners in abusive relationships in a number of ways. For example, the report recounts in detail how a woman was tracked by a former partner through connected services associated with the car she was using. In another example, a man used his remote access to the car to harass his wife by activating the car’s lights and horns a night and running the car’s heat on hot days. The report finds that car makers have been reluctant or unwilling to assist victims of this abuse or restrict abusive partner access to the car’s connectivity and data—particularly when a victim co-owns the vehicle or is not named on its title. Last year, the Federal Communications Commission was charged with implementing the Safe Connections Act. This law provides the FCC with authority to assist survivors of domestic violence and abuse with secure access to communications. Congress recognized that communications services, such as through phones, are lifelines for survivors of domestic violence and abuse, and that a phone is a gateway to building a new life, away from harm. In our first order implementing this statute, we required covered providers to separate phone lines linked to family plans where the abuser is on the account. With this option, survivors can safely separate from family plans and keep their phone and phone number—keeping them connected to their friends, family, and supporters. Having access to a car is also a critical lifeline. It is means of escape and independence, and it is often essential for those seeking employment and support. No survivor of domestic violence and abuse should have to choose between giving up their car and allowing themselves to be stalked and harmed by those who can access its data and connectivity.   1 Kashmir Hill, “Your Car is Tracking You. Abusive Partners May Be, Too. Apps that remotely track and control cars are being weaponized by abusive partners. Car manufacturers have been slow to responds, according to victims and experts.” The New York Times, Dec. 31, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/31/technology/car-trackers- gps-abuse.html. Page 2   Cars today are sometimes called “smartphones on wheels.” This new level of connectivity raises questions about whether car manufacturers and the connectivity they are facilitating in cars may be “covered providers” under the Safe Connections Act, which was specifically enacted to address where “perpetrators of violence and abuse . . . increasingly use technological and communications tools to exercise control over, monitor, and abuse their victims.”2 To assist us at the FCC in understanding how we can better fulfill our duties under the Safe Connections Act and help survivors of domestic violence, we request that you please respond to the following questions: (1) Please describe in detail the connectivity options that your company pre-installs or has plans to pre-install in the future in any vehicles you sell in the United States. Please include in your response information about the following: a. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for tracking the vehicle’s location, whether in real-time or historically. b. Connected apps, devices, or other features that allow for remote access and/or control to the vehicle’s lights, horns, air conditioning, heating or other features. c. The ability to call an S.O.S. service or call emergency services. d. The use of wireless spectrum—such as licensed, unlicensed or satellite bands—to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. e. The availability of a phone number that is unique to the vehicle. f. Identify each communications provider that your company has any business relationship, contracts, partnerships, or other formal connections to in relation to connectivity options (e.g., services, features, and capabilities, or other connected car services) pre-installed in any of your automobiles. For each identified communications company, identify and describe all such services (whether currently provided or planned for future provision). g. State whether your company (including any related company, such as a parent, affiliate, or wholly-owned subsidiary) operates as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) or as another communications provider in order to provide connected car services or other in-vehicle connectivity. (2) Does your company have policies or processes in place to remove access to connected apps, devices, or other features from certain individuals—including those listed on the title of the vehicle—at the request of survivors of domestic violence or abuse? If so, please describe in detail each policy or process. (3) How does your company retain, share, and/or sell a driver’s geolocation data that is collected by connected apps, devices, or other features included in your vehicles?   2 Safe Connections Act of 2022, Pub. L. No. 117-223, 136 Stat. 2280 (2022) (codified at 47 U.S.C. § 345). Page 3   Please send your response to the undersigned via e-mail (jessica.rosenworcel@fcc.gov) by January 26, 2024. Sincerely, cc: Kimberly Udovic