Connected vehicle technology uses in-vehicle wireless transceivers to broadcast and receive basic safety messages (BSMs) that include accurate spatiotemporal information to enhance transportation safety. These devices rely on integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements to improve driving safety. Databases, some publicly available, of BSM sequences, called trajectories, are being used to develop safety and traffic management applications. BSMs do not contain explicit identifiers that link trajectories to individuals; however, the locations they expose may be sensitive and associated with a very small subset of the population; protecting these locations from unwanted disclosure is important. Public sector policies require research data that is made publically available should be recorded in such a manner that subjects cannot be identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects. A procedure that minimizes the risk of associating trajectories with individuals, or de-identification, is necessary to meet open data requirements.
Route-sanitizer is a US Department of Transportation Joint Program Office (JPO) connected vehicle data project designed to de-identify moving object databases containing trajectories composed of BSMs.