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Toyota Infotainment Class Action Lawsuit Overview:
- Who: A pair of consumers lodged a class action lawsuit against Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.
- Why: The plaintiffs claim infotainment systems in Toyota vehicles download and store copies of text messages from connected smartphones.
- Where: The class action lawsuit is being heard in Washington federal court.
Toyota vehicles equipped with infotainment systems automatically download and store copies of text messages from smartphones connected to them, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
Lead plaintiffs Evgeniy Goussev and Stacy Ritch claim Toyota vehicle owners aren’t able to access the text message transcripts, while law enforcement and private investigation services can.
Goussev and Ritch allege Toyota is violating the Washington Privacy Act, which forbids any entity from recording or intercepting any private conversation without first obtaining consent.
Plaintiffs want to represent a Class of Washington residents who had their text messages downloaded and stored by an infotainment system in a Toyota vehicle within the past three years.
Toyota Infotainment Systems Access, Store Info From Smartphones
Goussev says he owns a 2019 model year Toyota vehicle and never consented for the company to download and store text messages — including ones received from Ritch — from his smartphone he connected via bluetooth or USB cable.
Further, Goussev claims he never gave consent for his text messages to be accessed by a third party such as Berla — the company that manufactures the text-recording software — or law enforcement.
“Toyota has also injured Plaintiff Goussev by depriving him of the right and ability to engage in private text communications without unwillingly allowing Toyota to intercept and record a copy for access by third parties such as Berla and law enforcement,” states the class action lawsuit.
Goussev claims he can neither access nor delete the recorded text messages that now reside in his Toyota infotainment system.
“While a vehicle owner cannot retrieve that text message, Berta and Toyota have ensured that law enforcement can,” states the class action lawsuit.
Plaintiffs are demanding a jury trial and requesting declaratory and injunctive relief, along with liquidated damages of $100 a day for each violation, not to exceed $1,000, for themselves and all Class Members.
A separate class action lawsuit was filed against Toyota this month by consumers alleging a defect in the company’s Toyota Prius HVAC systems causes the vehicles to smell like “urine,” and “dirty socks.”
Ford Motor Company is also facing a class action lawsuit claiming it uses its infotainment system to secretly download and store drivers’ private text conversations.
Were you unaware the infotainment system in your Toyota vehicle is allegedly recording and storing text messages from your connected devices? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiffs are represented by Joel B. Ard of Ard Law Group PLLC.
The Toyota Infotainment Class Action Lawsuit is Goussev, et al. v. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., Case No. 3:21-cv-05708, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
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3 thoughts onToyota Infotainment Systems Download, Store Text Messages Without Consent, Says Class Action
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I also own a 2018CRV, the car recently slowed 3 separate times when I was passing a semi on the interstate. Cruise was set at 70. Traffic behind me, the car directly behind me sensed there was a problem. I eventually pulled to the side of the road speed was 30mph. Shut the car off. Luckily it started again. Dealership told me they could not duplicate, so there was not an issue. Currently dead battery issue.
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