Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

My Vehicle Assistant Limited is a company registered in New Zealand (NZBN: 9429052966392), operating a vehicle compliance and monitoring platform designed for New Zealand users.

Registered address: 10 Hadlow Place, Burnside, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand

Contact email: admin@myvehicleassistant.co.nz

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account details (name, email address, phone number)
• Vehicle information (registration plate, make, model, year, compliance and maintenance dates)
• Payment information (processed via third-party payment providers; we do not store card details directly)
• Digital authorisation records (signature, date, and timestamp) for RUC Assist and other consent-based features

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Usage data (features used, pages viewed, time spent in-app)
• Device information (device type, operating system version, app version, IP address)
• OBD-II vehicle diagnostics data (mileage, speed, engine data, trip information) collected via Bluetooth when you use a connected OBD adapter
• Diagnostics and crash reports (for app performance and error resolution)

2.3 Information We Do Not Collect

We do not collect or store your GPS location. Location permission may be requested by the operating system as a technical requirement for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) scanning on certain devices. This permission is used solely to enable BLE adapter discovery and does not result in any location data being recorded, processed, or retained by us. See Section 4 for more detail.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide, operate, and improve the Services
• Manage your account and subscriptions
• Facilitate RUC Assist purchases on your behalf, where you have granted authority
• Send you compliance alerts, service notifications, and support communications
• Process payments via our third-party payment providers
• Detect and prevent fraud, misuse, or security incidents
• Comply with our legal obligations under New Zealand law
• Analyse usage trends to improve app performance and user experience

We will not use your information for any purpose materially different from those listed above without first obtaining your consent or as otherwise required by law.

4. Device Permissions

4.1 Bluetooth

Used to connect with compatible Bluetooth OBD-II adapters and retrieve vehicle diagnostic data. Bluetooth scanning is only active when you are using an OBD-linked subscription feature. Bluetooth data is processed in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

4.2 Location Services

On iOS and Android, the operating system requires location permission to be granted before an app can scan for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices. This is a platform-level technical requirement, not a choice we have made.

We want to be clear: we do not use location permission to determine, record, or store your physical location. No location data is collected, logged, or transmitted as a result of this permission being granted. Mileage monitoring is performed entirely via OBD-II data, not GPS.

If you deny location permission, BLE adapter scanning will not function on your device.

4.3 Future Permissions

If additional device permissions are required in a future version of the app, you will be prompted in-app at the relevant time, and this Privacy Policy will be updated to reflect the change.

5. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

We may share your information with:

5.1 Service Providers

We use the following third-party providers to deliver our Services. Each operates under appropriate data processing and confidentiality obligations:

• Google Firebase (Australia region) — Cloud infrastructure, database storage, and authentication. User data is stored on Firebase servers located in Australia.
• RevenueCat — Subscription and in-app purchase management.
• Stripe — Payment processing for RUC Assist and service fees. Stripe is PCI-DSS compliant and handles all card data directly. We do not store payment card details.
• Apple App Store / Google Play Store — App distribution and in-app billing.
• New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) — RUC licence purchases made on your behalf under RUC Assist.

5.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or a government or regulatory authority in New Zealand.

5.3 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will take reasonable steps to notify you before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

6. Data Storage and Security

Your personal information is stored on Google Firebase infrastructure located in Australia. We take reasonable technical and organisational steps to protect your information from loss, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

These measures include access controls, encryption in transit, and regular security reviews. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

In the event of a privacy breach that poses a risk of serious harm, we will act in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020, including notifying affected individuals and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner where required.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to provide our Services or to meet our legal obligations. Specifically:

• Account data is retained for the duration of your account and deleted within 90 days of account closure, unless retention is required by law
• OBD trip data is retained until you delete it via the Data Management section of the app, or until your account is closed
• RUC Assist authorisation records (including digital signatures) are retained for a minimum of 7 years to meet financial record-keeping obligations
• Payment transaction records are retained as required by applicable tax and financial legislation

When retention periods expire, data is securely deleted or anonymised.

8. Your Rights

Under the Privacy Act 2020, you have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Withdraw consent for certain uses of your information, where processing is based on consent
• Request deletion of data we are not legally required to retain

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at admin@myvehicleassistant.co.nz. We will respond within 20 working days as required by the Privacy Act 2020.

You may also delete your historical OBD trip data directly within the app via the Data Management section.

9. Children's Privacy

Our Services are not intended for persons under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, please contact us at admin@myvehicleassistant.co.nz and we will take steps to delete it promptly.

10. Third-Party Links and Services

Our Services may contain links to third-party websites or integrate with third-party platforms. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you use in connection with our app.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted with a revised "last updated" date. Where changes are material, we will take reasonable steps to notify you directly, such as via an in-app notification or email.

Continued use of the Services after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us:

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of New Zealand: