eSafety is urging Australians to understand how smart car features can be misused to monitor, track and intimidate women experiencing domestic and family violence.
eSafety is raising the alarm of this emerging harm after receiving reports from frontline workers via its Technology-Facilitated Abuse Support Service; a dedicated phone-based service and online hub for frontline workers seeking advice on how to apply safety planning to digital devices.
"More Australians are buying cars that can connect to the internet and other smart devices, but domestic violence abusers can exploit these modern features to spy on and gaslight their partners," eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said.
"Through our service, we're hearing of cases where abusers access trip histories to keep tabs on a partner's movements, remotely lock doors or change the heating to intimidate them, and use kill switches to prevent them travelling beyond certain distances.
"In these situations, an asset that's crucial for escape is being used as a mechanism to trap and control."
Most smart vehicles have built-in GPS systems and telematics platforms that record trip histories and real-time location and geofencing alerts. This data can be accessed through companion apps on smartphones or web portals, as well as being stored on the cloud or shared with synced accounts.
"Location tracking is one of the biggest risks to a victim-survivor's safety when they're making plans to leave a violent situation. The violence can escalate and take on new forms."
To help victim-survivors and frontline workers understand the risks, eSafety's latest Online Safety Advisory focuses on smart devices and the Internet of Things.
"The misuse of smart vehicles forms part of a broader pattern of technology-facilitated coercive control - a form of abuse that frontline services tell us is becoming more complex because of the interconnected nature of popular smart devices that collect and store personal data. These range from smartwatches and tablets with synced accounts to security cameras, thermostats and smart TVs."
To help draw attention to the updated advice, Ms Inman Grant attended a special event to mark 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence with Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek; Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner Micaela Cronin; and Domestic Violence Crisis Service ACT CEO Sue Webeck.
"One of the greatest and rapidly evolving challenges in tackling domestic, family and sexual violence is technology-facilitated abuse," Minister for Social Services, Tanya Plibersek said.
"When a woman seeking help arrives at a shelter, often the first thing that happens is a thorough check of their phone, car, smartwatch and personal belongings to identify and destroy tracking devices and software."
"The weaponisation of technology by perpetrators requires new thinking and approaches. It's a new frontier that we have to tackle.
"It's why our government has invested in building the capacity of frontline workers to respond to technology-facilitated abuse, as well as providing victim-survivors with safe phones that can't be tracked."
Commissioner Cronin said, "I regularly hear from people about their experiences of technology facilitated abuse and the harm it causes them.
"It is vital that we centre people with lived experience of technology facilitated abuse to continue to build our understanding of how this type of abuse is evolving, how it is enacted, how we can prevent it, and how we can better support those who have experienced it."
Ms Webeck said, "One of the first things we do when responding to someone experiencing family or domestic violence is talk about what technology and internet-based services they use or have in their home.
"Technology is everywhere and the benefit it can have in our lives can quickly become a lethal risk factor for someone experiencing domestic violence. People aren't used to assessing their safety based on what smart fridge, doorbell, tablet device or smart bulb they use. This is the world frontline services are navigating every day with the community."
Call for improved industry safeguards
"It's estimated more than 90 per cent of new cars sold in Australia by 2031 will have embedded connectivity. We need urgent action to make them safer," Ms Inman Grant said.
eSafety is calling on companies to build safety into smart car devices and accounts from the start, including:
- Emergency lockouts and safe transfers: Provide a simple, documented way to revoke all access and transfer ownership during separation without contact with the other party.
- User-visible audit logs: Offer a clear history of account access, location pings and remote commands that can be exported for evidence.
- Retailer and dealership standards: Retailers and dealerships should always reset devices or accounts when they are sold or change owners, and make sure staff know how to do this safely for people who have experienced abuse.
"These are solvable design issues," Ms Inman Grant said. "If manufacturers and tech companies build in the right safeguards from the start, we can prevent a lot of harm before it happens. This next generation of automotive technologies means that car manufacturers need their next 'seatbelt moment'."
Practical steps to reduce vehicle-based risks
Before changing any devices or accounts, consider getting support. A trained service can help you decide which steps are appropriate, relevant and safe for your situation. If you're in immediate danger - or worried about someone else's safety - call emergency services on Triple Zero (000).
Here are some steps you might take with a support of a frontline domestic, family and sexual violence service:
- Reset account control: Consider setting up a new main account on a 'clean' device, using a private email and phone number. Update your passphrases and turn on two-factor authentication for everything. Remove any extra users and shared keys.
- Revoke access everywhere: Log out of companion apps on all devices, revoke old app tokens and sessions, and unlink any shared Apple/Google IDs where appropriate.
- Retailer or dealership reset: Ask the service desk or dealer to reset telematics or device links, remove former users, re-issue digital keys, and confirm no valet/fleet/service access remains.
Help is available
If you're experiencing domestic, family or sexual violence, 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) provides confidential counselling and support at any time of the day or night.
If you think you may be experiencing technology-facilitated abuse by a current or former partner, eSafety has online advice that you discuss with a frontline service.
If you're a frontline worker wanting advice from eSafety's Technology-Facilitated Abuse Support Service, you can book a consult online. Please note: This service is for frontline workers only.
