Subaru's StarLink System Not Available to Fleets

Fleet management companies and fleet managers who purchase Subaru vehicles won't be able to add the StarLink connectivity program due to driver privacy issues, the automaker has told its commercial customers.

Subaru hopes to modify StarLink in its next generation so it can offer the system to fleet users. The announcement came in a Feb. 3 email to fleet customers from Charles Reed, Subaru's national fleet sales operations manager.

In the email, Reed said StarLink can't be offered due to several roadblocks. StarLink requires that the driver must be associated as the actual owner of the vehicle. Also, in order to provide vehicel notifications and health reports, the owner must consent to sharing vehicle information by accepting the terms and conditions. Without this acceptance, Subaru would be sharing the driver's information and location without their consent, which would violate their privacy.

The StarLink system was initially announced as available with 2016 model-year Subaru vehicles.