Connected Device Legislation Moving Through California Legislature

Aug 23, 2018 RV Industry Association Staff

In California, there are companion bills (CA AB 1906 and CA SB 327) which create new requirements for manufacturers of “connected devices.” Connected devices, as defined in the bills, are any devices or other physical objects that are capable of connecting to the internet, directly or indirectly, and that are assigned an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

As more and more RV components have the capability to be connected to other components, RV industry manufacturers and suppliers need to be aware of the efforts to regulate these new technologies, especially in the states, where there is a potential for a patchwork of laws and regulations making it difficult for companies to comply.

It is the position of the RV Industry Association to support policies that promote consistency across all 50 states and innovation for connected and automated technologies that allow for flexibility and do not create unintended consequences for the RV industry. Such a system should allow RV manufacturers to design, produce and sell the same RVs in every state.

The bills in California require manufacturers of connected devices to equip such devices with a reasonable security feature or features, appropriate to the nature and function of the device, that is designed to protect the device from unauthorized access or use. These bills have been steadily moving through the California legislature and both bills recently passed the Appropriations Committee. If the legislation is enacted it will become effective January 1, 2020.  

The provisions in these bills leave considerable room for interpretation as to which types of manufacturers would be required to comply with the bills if they pass. The RV Industry Association encourages its members to read the bills (CA AB 1906 and CA SB 327) to determine applicability for individual companies.

For questions on Connected Automation and its affect on the RV Industry, please contact Kyle Correa-Brady at 571-665-5855 or kcorrea-brady@rvia.org.