In an era where cars are rolling data centers, India’s top auto executive is prioritizing customer privacy over unchecked innovation. Shailesh Chandra, dual-hatted as SIAM President and Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles CEO, urged the industry Tuesday to embed data protection at the heart of automotive advancements.
Speaking at a Delhi conclave, Chandra painted a vivid picture of data proliferation. Electric vehicles and even legacy ICE models now channel vast personal insights—from dashcam footage to synced smartphone contacts—across sprawling ecosystems. ‘This flood of customer data demands our utmost professional vigilance,’ he warned.
Chandra laid out a blueprint for ethical data practices, starting with unwavering transparency and consent. ‘Tell customers exactly what data you’re harvesting and how you’ll wield it,’ he instructed. Next, classify data meticulously to prioritize sensitivities. Finally, master data lifecycle management: secure long-term storage for essentials while swiftly discarding the rest.
True implementation, he stressed, requires ‘designing systems with privacy by default.’ OEMs must classify data upfront, fortifying architectures against vulnerabilities from day one.
This clarion call arrives as India’s auto market hits record highs. Per SIAM figures, November sales dazzled: passenger vehicles up nearly 20% at 412,405 units; three-wheelers rose 21.3% to 71,999; two-wheelers climbed 21.2% to 1.94 million units compared to the prior year.
With policy tailwinds and buoyant consumer confidence, projections hold for momentum into 2026. Chandra’s principles offer a roadmap, reminding innovators that in the connected auto future, trust is the ultimate currency. Breaches could derail even the fastest growth trajectories.