ATLANTA -

Now there is a way auctions, dealers and fleet managers can have detail-level cleaning of a vehicle’s technology system just like the floor mats and upholstery.

Privacy4Cars, a mobile process designed to help erase personally identifiable information (PII) from modern vehicles, recently announced that its namesake app, Privacy4Cars, is available as a free download on iOS and Android devices.

The Privacy4Cars app can enable consumers and businesses to delete personal data retained by modern vehicle infotainment systems quickly and efficiently.

The app was developed by Andrea Amico, an expert in vehicle privacy and cybersecurity. Amico founded Privacy4Cars amidst growing industry frustration over how modern vehicles retain PII, and the complexity required to remove all information properly.

Amico’s goal with Privacy4Cars is to offer the same simplified vehicle security and privacy compliance solution to consumers, dealers and fleets.

“To date, there has not been an adequate effort to educate vehicle users on the dangers of leaving their Personally Identifiable Information in vehicles they no longer use,” Amico said.

“People would not want to hand their phones and all their data to strangers — yet they often fail to realize that this is what they do every time they sell a vehicle, return a rental car, or participate in a car sharing or subscription program,” he continued.

Through his work in the industry, Amico has found that even when people make an effort to delete personal information from vehicle infotainment systems, they are often forced to use outdated manuals or pay outside service providers and dealers.

“In the wake of General Data Protection Regulation, consumers around the world are demanding to know where their personal information is being stored, and to use their right to be forgotten,” Amico said.

“A simple way that vehicle owners and operators can protect their privacy is to be mindful of the data stored in vehicle infotainment systems and properly erase the information — especially if a car is sold, leased, rented or shared,” he continued.

Privacy4Cars’ patent-pending process provides customized, visual step-by-step tutorials to help users quickly erase personal information such as phone numbers, call logs, location history and garage door codes from vehicle infotainment systems.

App users are able to select from hundreds of vehicle makes, models and years, and additional vehicle makes and models are added weekly.

During its promotional launch period, the Privacy4Cars app will offer 10 free vehicle data wipe tutorials upon download. Additional wipe tutorial packages start at $1.99.

While Privacy4Cars is available to consumers and businesses with a small fleet as a stand-alone app, it is also available to manufacturers, auto auctions, fleet management companies, car rental or car sharing operators, vehicle subscription services, large private and government fleets, auto finance companies, auto insurance and dealer groups as an software development kit (SDK) that can be embedded into existing apps.