Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Automotive Resource Co. ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share information when you use our website (www.autoresourceco.com), Battery Explorer, VIN Lookup API, connected battery-discovery assistants, and related services (collectively, the "Services").

By using our Services, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use our Services.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Account Information

When you create an account, we collect:

• Name and email address
• Password (stored in hashed form)
• Authentication provider information (if using social sign-in)
• Billing and payment information (processed through Stripe)
• Subscription tier and billing history

2.2 API Usage Data

When you use our VIN Lookup API, we collect:

• Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs): All VINs submitted to the API are logged and stored.
• Request metadata: Timestamps, IP addresses, request headers, and user agent information.
• API keys: Unique identifiers used to authenticate your requests (stored in hashed form).
• Usage metrics: Number of API calls, response times, and error rates.

2.3 Battery Explorer Activity Data

When you browse the Battery Explorer, we collect:

• Search queries: Text entered into search fields, including VIN searches.
• Entity views: Records of which batteries, cells, and vehicles you view, along with timestamps.
• Unlock actions: When you unlock premium content using your subscription credits.
• Navigation patterns: How you move through the Explorer, including referral paths and session duration.
• Battery image-match uploads: Photos you submit for visual matching, the resulting candidate matches, and your selected result. For authenticated users, uploads are associated with your account so we can provide the feature, review match quality, and maintain an audit history.
• Ask ARC research: Questions, assistant responses, selected ARC record references, session titles, run status, sanitized research-step activity (such as the Explorer resource used, completion status, and bounded result counts), and usage metadata for natural-language research sessions. We do not display or retain the model's private chain-of-thought as research activity. When an image match is attached, Ask ARC receives bounded candidate metadata from Image Match rather than the raw photo.

2.4 Connected Assistant Account Access

When you connect your ARC account to ChatGPT or Claude, ARC stores the account identifier, email address, authorized assistant client, permission scope, and authorization timestamps needed to manage that connection. ARC receives the arguments sent to its battery-discovery tools, such as a VIN, vehicle description, battery name, or battery ID. These tools operate on individual lookups and your existing ARC account access and record-unlock ledger. ARC receives the tool requests needed to perform these actions rather than your entire assistant conversation.

2.5 Technical and Device Information

We automatically collect:

• IP address and approximate geographic location
• Browser type, version, and language preferences
• Operating system and device type
• Referring URLs and pages visited
• Date, time, and duration of visits

2.6 Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies (such as local storage) to maintain your login session, remember your preferences, and collect analytics data. You can control cookie settings through your browser, but disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our Services.

Ask ARC may temporarily keep the exact identity and text of an interrupted request in browser session storage. This information stays isolated to that account in the current browser tab and is used only to let you check the same request without creating a duplicate AI search. It is cleared when the outcome is confirmed, the affected session is archived or deleted, or the browser tab session ends.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

3.1 Service Delivery

• Provide, maintain, and operate the Services
• Process VIN decoding requests and battery lookups
• Authenticate users and manage account access
• Process payments and manage subscriptions
• Enforce usage limits based on subscription tiers

3.2 Service Improvement

• Improve our matching algorithms and data accuracy
• Power recommendation features ("People Also Viewed," "Trending")
• Analyze usage patterns to enhance user experience
• Identify and prioritize new features and data coverage
• Conduct internal analytics and business intelligence

3.3 Security and Compliance

• Detect, prevent, and investigate fraud, abuse, and security incidents
• Monitor for Terms of Service violations including scraping and unauthorized data extraction
• Maintain audit logs for billing verification and dispute resolution
• Comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests

3.4 Communications

• Send transactional emails (account confirmations, receipts, alerts)
• Notify you of service updates, policy changes, or security issues
• Respond to customer support inquiries
• Send promotional communications (with your consent, where required)

4. Data Retention

We retain different types of data for different periods:

• Account data: Retained while your account is active and for a reasonable period afterward for legal and business purposes.
• VIN submission logs: Retained indefinitely for improving matching algorithms, historical analysis, and billing verification.
• Explorer search and browsing activity: Retained as needed to operate, secure, and improve Explorer, including recommendations, abuse analysis, and service-quality review. ARC does not create long-term daily search or entity-view aggregate reports from this activity.
• Payment records: Retained as required by tax and financial regulations (typically 7 years).
• Security logs: Retained for 12 months for security monitoring and incident investigation.
• Battery image-match uploads: May be retained to operate and evaluate the image-matching service, investigate match quality, and maintain an attributable beta-program history.
• Ask ARC research sessions: Retained until you delete the session. A deleted session disappears from your account immediately and is ordinarily hard-deleted after a 30-day recovery period. The AI model provider that processes a question may keep its own records of the request for a limited period under its data-retention terms and the data controls configured for our account.

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share data only in the following circumstances:

5.1 Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our business:

• Stripe: Payment processing and billing management
• Firebase (Google): Authentication, database storage, and user management
• Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager: Website and product usage analytics
• HubSpot: Customer relationship management and lifecycle reporting
• Vercel: Cloud hosting and server infrastructure
• Neon: PostgreSQL database hosting
• Hugging Face: Machine-learning infrastructure used to analyze battery photos submitted to the image-matching feature
• AI model providers: Third-party AI providers process Ask ARC questions, recent session context, bounded ARC search results and Explorer record details already available to the signed-in user, and optional image-match candidate metadata. The provider that processes a question depends on the model you choose for it in Ask ARC. Raw battery photos, authentication tokens, and your raw account identifier are not included in Ask ARC model requests.

These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

5.2 Assistants You Choose to Connect

With your authorization, ARC shares battery-discovery tool results with the assistant provider you connect: OpenAI for ChatGPT or Anthropic for Claude. Results can include your available record-unlock allowance, candidate battery identities, links for confirming access on ARC, and a limited summary of battery records your account can access. Available summary fields include chemistry, DOT hazard class, capacity, and weight, along with a link to the full ARC record. The assistant receives scoped access credentials for this connection; ARC does not provide your ARC password to the assistant.

A new record unlock requires your confirmation on ARC. You can revoke connected assistant access from ARC's connection-management page. Revoking access prevents future authorized tool requests; it does not remove results already delivered to the assistant provider. Your use of ChatGPT or Claude, including the provider's handling of its conversations and received tool results, is also governed by that provider's policies and your account settings.

5.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required by law, subpoena, court order, or other legal process, or if we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

5.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity. We will notify you of any such change and any choices you may have regarding your information.

5.5 Aggregated or Anonymized Data

We may share aggregated or anonymized data that cannot reasonably be used to identify you for research, analytics, or marketing purposes.

6. Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information, including:

• Encryption of data in transit (TLS/HTTPS) and at rest
• Secure hashing of passwords and API keys
• Access controls and authentication for internal systems
• Regular security assessments and monitoring

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, and you use the Services at your own risk.

7. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate personal information.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements.
• Portability: Request your data in a portable, machine-readable format.
• Opt-out: Opt out of promotional communications by following unsubscribe instructions.

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@autoresourceco.com. We will respond to valid requests within the timeframe required by applicable law.

Note: Certain data, such as VIN submission logs and usage records, may be retained for legitimate business purposes even after account deletion.

8. International Data Transfers

Our Services are operated from the United States. If you access the Services from outside the United States, you consent to the transfer, storage, and processing of your information in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your jurisdiction.

9. Children's Privacy

Our Services are not directed to children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately at privacy@autoresourceco.com.

10. California Privacy Rights

California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information we collect, the right to delete personal information, and the right to opt out of the sale of personal information. We do not sell personal information as defined by the CCPA. To exercise your California rights, contact us at privacy@autoresourceco.com.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by email or by posting a notice on our website. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy indicates when it was last revised. Your continued use of the Services after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:
Email: privacy@autoresourceco.com
Website: https://www.autoresourceco.com