Analysing the legal implications of cross-border data collection and usage within connected and autonomous vehicles on the island of Ireland

Analysing the legal implications of cross-border data collection and usage within connected and autonomous vehicles on the island of Ireland: Selling safety for privacy?

Deploying connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) has become a strategic aim of the automotive industry, and government plans for investment in this sector to build 5G networks makes their adoption evermore likely. However, technological innovation brings societal and legal uncertainties. Complex issues regarding data privacy and cybersecurity are in the process of being addressed, but world leading innovation could be halted because of ambiguity surrounding CAVs and national borders.

This project will address in particular the movement of CAVs between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, investigating and critiquing the legal frameworks which have significant implications for the UK and the island of Ireland. The legal position of CAVs in Northern Ireland (where recent UK legislation, which has sought to modernise and apply liability rules, does not apply) will be examined, in the context of the relationship between safety and data privacy. There is a clear and serious research gap in research regarding data privacy concerns and land borders, especially within the Brexit context; this project will examine the experiences of other border jurisdictions (Canada-United States and Norway-Sweden), and encompass semi-structured interviews across the island of Ireland, seeking to understand business, public and regulatory perceptions and impacts of CAVs.

The project complements the current work of the Law Commissions on CAVs, through socio-legal and comparative approaches, and includes engagement with regulatory bodies, governments, and international research initiatives. The results will inform the development of appropriate regulatory models and cross-border co-operation.