Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy describes how AutonomyLab (AutonomyLab Research Limited) collects, uses, and protects your personal information. We are committed to safeguarding your data and maintaining transparency about our practices in accordance with applicable privacy laws in Canada and internationally.

Who We Are and Our Role

We are a research organization based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, specializing in reinforcement learning for autonomous vehicle testing and self-driving simulation. We operate this website to share knowledge, research findings, and insights with our community of researchers, educators, and technology professionals.

As the data controller, we are responsible for determining how and why we collect and process your personal information. We handle all data in accordance with privacy principles and applicable legislation.

Information We Collect

We collect information through various means to provide and improve our services:

• Contact Form Data: When you submit inquiries, we collect your name, email address, phone number, organization, and message content.
• Usage Data: Our website automatically logs information about your browsing behavior, including IP address, device type, browser type, pages visited, and time spent on our site.
• Cookie Data: We use cookies and similar technologies to track your preferences, enhance your experience, and understand site performance.
• Research Participation: If you participate in research studies, we collect data necessary for those specific projects with your explicit consent.

Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:

• Consent: When you submit contact forms or participate in research, you provide explicit consent for us to process your data.
• Legitimate Interest: We process usage and analytics data to improve our website functionality, security, and user experience.
• Legal Obligation: We may process data to comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal requests.
• Performance of Contract: If you engage our services, we process data necessary to fulfill those agreements.

How We Use Your Information

We use collected information for legitimate purposes aligned with our research and operational needs:

• Responding to your inquiries and providing customer support
• Sending updates about our research, blog posts, and events (with your consent)
• Analyzing website usage patterns to improve content and functionality
• Conducting research related to autonomous vehicles and reinforcement learning
• Ensuring website security and preventing fraudulent activity
• Complying with legal obligations and resolving disputes

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected or as required by law. Here are our specific retention periods:

• Contact Form Submissions: Up to 24 months following your last interaction with us, after which we delete or anonymize the data.
• Website Analytics and Cookies: Up to 14 months from collection date, then automatically purged from our systems.
• Server Logs and Technical Data: Up to 12 months for security and troubleshooting purposes.
• Research Participant Data: Retained according to the specific research protocol, typically 3-5 years, then securely destroyed unless extended retention is required by law.
• Marketing Communications: We retain your email only while you remain subscribed; upon unsubscribing, we remove your data within 30 days.

Your Rights and Choices

You have several rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: You may ask us to update or correct inaccurate information.
• Deletion: You can request that we delete your personal data, subject to legal requirements.
• Opt-Out: You can unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time.
• Portability: You may request your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Withdraw Consent: If processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided below.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us remember your preferences and analyze how you use our website.

Types of Cookies We Use:

• Essential Cookies: Required for basic site functionality and security.
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand visitor behavior and improve content.
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and choices.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some website features. A dedicated Cookie Policy provides detailed information about our cookie practices.

Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include encryption, secure servers, access controls, and regular security audits. However, no transmission over the internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Third-Party Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share data only in these limited circumstances:

• With service providers who assist us in operations (hosting, analytics, email) under strict confidentiality agreements
• To comply with legal obligations or law enforcement requests
• To protect our rights, privacy, or safety
• As part of research collaborations, with your explicit consent

International Data Transfers

Our servers and operations are based in Canada. If you access our website from outside Canada, your data may be transferred to, stored in, and processed in Canada. By using our website, you consent to such transfers. We ensure all international transfers comply with applicable privacy laws.

Supervisory Authority

You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) if you believe we have violated your privacy rights or applicable privacy legislation. You may also contact the privacy commissioner of your provincial or territorial jurisdiction. These authorities can investigate your concerns and take appropriate action.

Policy Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or applicable laws. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on our website and updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this document. Continued use of our website following such changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.