Privacy Policy

Section 1Who We Are

AetherAI Technologies LLC ("AetherAI," "we," "us," or "our") is a Texas limited liability company that operates an AI-powered fleet management and direct vehicle rental booking platform. We are the data controller responsible for the personal information described in this Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Policy applies to all users of the AetherAI platform, including hosts (vehicle owners who list vehicles), renters (individuals who book and operate vehicles), and visitors to our website at aetheraiapp.com.

Section 2Information We Collect

We collect personal information in the following categories depending on how you use our platform:

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Account registration: full name, email address, phone number, and password.
• Profile information: date of birth, mailing address, and profile photo (optional).
• Identity verification: government-issued photo ID (driver's license front and back), selfie photograph, and biometric data collected through our liveness detection process.
• Payment information: credit or debit card details, billing address. Payment card data is processed and stored by Stripe and is not retained on AetherAI systems.
• Host onboarding: vehicle information including year, make, model, VIN, license plate, GVWR, garaging address, and personal auto insurance documentation.
• Communications: messages sent through the Platform's messaging system, support requests, and correspondence with AetherAI.
• Insurance verification: personal auto insurance policy data obtained through our consumer-permissioned insurance verification process, including carrier name, policy number, coverage type, and policy expiration date.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Motor vehicle record (MVR): driving history, license status, violations, suspensions, and accidents, obtained through a licensed consumer reporting agency with your consent.
• Telematics data: GPS location, trip route, mileage, speed, acceleration, braking behavior, cornering data, idle time, and engine status, collected during active rental periods through vehicle-installed telematics devices.
• Device and usage data: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers, pages visited, features used, timestamps, and clickstream data.
• Cookies and tracking technologies: session cookies, persistent cookies, and similar tracking technologies as described in Section 10 of this Policy.
• Log data: server logs, error reports, and diagnostic data generated when you use the Platform.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Identity verification providers: identity match scores, document authenticity results, AAMVA database validation results, and liveness check outcomes.
• Consumer reporting agencies: motor vehicle record data and associated risk scoring data.
• Insurance verification providers: live policy status, coverage confirmation, and policy metadata.
• Payment processors: transaction confirmations, payment status, and fraud signals from Stripe.
• Telematics providers: vehicle location, trip data, driver behavior scores, and device health data.

Section 3How We Use Your Information

AetherAI uses personal information for the following purposes:

3.1 Platform Operations

• Creating and managing your account.
• Processing bookings, payments, and payouts.
• Verifying renter identity and eligibility.
• Pulling and evaluating motor vehicle records for renter screening.
• Verifying renter personal auto insurance.
• Calculating and billing mileage overage charges.
• Facilitating host-renter communications through the Platform.
• Generating trip records, receipts, and booking confirmations.

3.2 Safety and Security

• Screening renters against eligibility criteria required by our commercial insurance carrier.
• Monitoring telematics data during active rentals for geographic compliance, speed compliance, and driver behavior.
• Detecting and preventing fraud, identity theft, and unauthorized platform use.
• Investigating accidents, damage claims, and incidents.
• Complying with law enforcement requests where legally required.

3.3 Insurance and Compliance

• Providing verification and compliance data to our commercial insurance broker and carrier as required under our Fleet Protection insurance policy.
• Generating monthly compliance reports for our insurance underwriter covering rental days, miles driven, renter verification outcomes, and insurance verification status.
• Maintaining renter records for the minimum 2-year retention period required by our carrier.
• Fulfilling adverse action notice requirements under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) when eligibility decisions are made based on consumer reports.

3.4 Platform Improvement

• Analyzing usage patterns to improve platform features and user experience.
• Developing and testing new features, tools, and services.
• Diagnosing technical issues and improving platform reliability.
• Training and improving our AI-powered pricing, messaging, and verification systems using aggregated and de-identified data.

3.5 Communications

• Sending booking confirmations, trip receipts, and account notifications.
• Sending transactional emails related to your bookings, payments, and account status.
• Sending platform updates, policy changes, and security alerts.
• Sending marketing communications where you have provided consent (you may opt out at any time).

3.6 Legal Obligations

• Complying with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
• Responding to lawful legal process, court orders, and government requests.
• Enforcing our Terms of Service and other platform policies.
• Protecting the rights, property, and safety of AetherAI, our users, and the public.

Section 4Legal Basis for Processing

AetherAI processes your personal information under the following legal bases:

• Contract performance: processing necessary to fulfill our obligations to you under our Terms of Service, including operating your account, processing bookings and payments, and providing platform features.
• Legal obligation: processing required to comply with applicable laws including the FCRA, Texas data protection requirements, and our commercial insurance carrier's compliance obligations.
• Legitimate interests: processing for fraud prevention, platform security, safety monitoring, and business analytics, where our interests do not override your rights.
• Consent: processing based on your affirmative consent, including identity verification, MVR screening (FCRA consent obtained separately), insurance verification, marketing communications, and telematics data collection during rentals. You may withdraw consent at any time, subject to the limitations described in this Policy.

Section 5How We Share Your Information

AetherAI does not sell your personal information. We share your information only in the following circumstances:

5.1 Service Providers

We share personal information with third-party service providers who assist in operating the Platform, subject to confidentiality obligations and data processing agreements. These providers include:

• Payment processing: Stripe, Inc. (payments, payouts, fraud detection).
• Identity verification: our licensed identity verification provider (document scanning, biometric matching, AAMVA validation). Provider name is not disclosed in user-facing materials.
• Motor vehicle record screening: our licensed consumer reporting agency (state direct MVR pulls, driving record data). Provider name is not disclosed in user-facing materials.
• Insurance verification: our consumer-permissioned insurance verification provider (live policy status verification). Provider name is not disclosed in user-facing materials.
• Telematics: our GPS telematics hardware and data provider (vehicle location, trip data, driver behavior).
• Cloud infrastructure: Amazon Web Services (platform hosting, data storage).
• Database: MongoDB (application data storage).
• Communications: Twilio (SMS notifications), SendGrid (email delivery).
• CRM: HubSpot (host and lead relationship management).

5.2 Insurance Broker and Carrier

AetherAI shares renter verification outcomes, trip records, mileage data, and compliance documentation with our licensed commercial insurance broker and carrier as required under our Fleet Protection insurance policy. This sharing is necessary to maintain coverage, process claims, and fulfill our underwriting compliance obligations. Individual renter names and personal identifiers are shared only to the extent required for claims handling and compliance audits.

5.3 Hosts

When a renter completes a booking with a host, AetherAI shares the renter's first name, verified status (pass or fail), and trust tier with the host through the host dashboard. AetherAI does not share renter MVR details, insurance carrier information, or raw consumer report data with hosts. Hosts see only the verification outcome, not the underlying data.

5.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when we believe in good faith that disclosure is required to:

• Comply with applicable law, regulation, legal process, or enforceable government request.
• Enforce our Terms of Service or other platform policies.
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of AetherAI, our users, or the public.
• Detect, prevent, or address fraud, security breaches, or technical issues.

5.5 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or other business transfer involving AetherAI, your personal information may be transferred to the acquiring entity as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email or prominent notice on the Platform before your information becomes subject to a materially different privacy policy.

5.6 Aggregated and De-Identified Data

AetherAI may share aggregated, de-identified, or anonymized data that cannot reasonably be used to identify you with third parties for research, analytics, industry reporting, or product improvement purposes. This is not considered a sale of personal information.

Section 6Consumer Reporting and FCRA Rights

AetherAI obtains motor vehicle records (MVRs) through a licensed consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), 15 U.S.C. Section 1681 et seq. MVR data is used solely for permissible purposes as defined by the FCRA, specifically for evaluating renter eligibility for vehicle rental transactions.

6.1 Your FCRA Rights

If AetherAI takes an adverse action against you based in whole or in part on a consumer report (including denial of a rental application, account suspension, or removal from the Platform), you have the right to:

• Receive written or electronic notice of the adverse action.
• Know the name, address, and telephone number of the consumer reporting agency that provided the report.
• Be informed that the consumer reporting agency did not make the adverse decision and cannot explain why the decision was made.
• Obtain a free copy of your consumer report from the reporting agency within 60 days of receiving the adverse action notice.
• Dispute the accuracy or completeness of any information in your consumer report directly with the reporting agency.

6.2 FCRA Consent

Before obtaining any consumer report in connection with your rental application or account, AetherAI provides a standalone FCRA disclosure that is separate from these Terms and from any other document. You must affirmatively acknowledge this disclosure before any consumer report is obtained. Your consent is timestamped and stored in our systems.

6.3 Retention of Consumer Report Data

Consumer report data obtained in connection with your rental account is retained for a minimum of 2 years following your last rental date, as required by our commercial insurance carrier. After this period, consumer report data is securely deleted unless retention is required by applicable law.

Section 7Telematics and Location Data

All vehicles available for rental through the AetherAI Platform are equipped with GPS telematics devices. By renting a vehicle, you consent to the collection of telematics data during the active rental period as described below.

7.1 What We Collect

• Real-time GPS coordinates and location history throughout the rental period.
• Trip start and end timestamps, duration, and route data.
• Odometer readings at trip start and end (used for mileage calculation and billing).
• Speed data including average speed, maximum speed, and instances of speed limit exceedance.
• Acceleration, hard braking, and sharp cornering events.
• Engine idle time and engine on/off events.
• Device health and connectivity status.

7.2 How We Use Telematics Data

• Mileage overage calculation and automatic billing at trip close.
• Geographic compliance monitoring to detect unauthorized out-of-state travel.
• Driver behavior scoring displayed to hosts through the host dashboard.
• Accident and incident investigation in connection with damage claims.
• Insurance compliance reporting to our broker and carrier.
• Fleet health and predictive maintenance monitoring for hosts.

7.3 Telematics Data Retention

Trip-level telematics data is retained for a minimum of 2 years following the completion of each rental, consistent with our insurance compliance obligations. Aggregated and anonymized telematics data may be retained indefinitely for platform analytics and model training purposes.

7.4 No Personal Location Tracking Outside Rentals

AetherAI does not use telematics data to track the location or movements of any individual outside of an active, platform-confirmed rental period. Telematics devices installed in vehicles do not collect or transmit data about the host's personal use of the vehicle when not rented through the Platform.

Section 8Data Retention

AetherAI retains your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. The following retention periods apply:

Following the applicable retention period, your personal information is securely deleted or anonymized. Where data is anonymized rather than deleted, it can no longer be used to identify you and may be retained indefinitely for analytics purposes.

Section 9Data Security

AetherAI implements administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. Our security measures include:

• Encryption of personal data in transit using TLS 1.2 or higher.
• Encryption of sensitive data at rest including identity verification results, MVR data, and payment tokens.
• Access controls limiting personal data access to authorized personnel on a need-to-know basis.
• Role-based access management and multi-factor authentication for internal systems.
• Third-party payment card data handled exclusively by Stripe under PCI DSS Level 1 compliance standards.
• Regular security assessments and vulnerability monitoring.
• Incident response procedures for detecting, containing, and notifying affected parties of data breaches.

No method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we work diligently to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a data breach that affects your rights or freedoms, we will notify you and applicable regulatory authorities as required by law.

Section 10Cookies and Tracking Technologies

AetherAI uses cookies and similar tracking technologies on our website and platform to improve your experience and analyze platform usage.

10.1 Types of Cookies We Use

• Strictly necessary cookies: required for the platform to function. These cannot be disabled. Examples include session authentication tokens and security cookies.
• Functional cookies: enable enhanced features such as remembering your preferences and login state. Disabling these may affect platform functionality.
• Analytics cookies: help us understand how users interact with the platform including page views, feature usage, and error rates. We use anonymized analytics data only.
• Marketing cookies: used to deliver relevant communications and measure the effectiveness of our marketing. Only placed where you have provided consent.

10.2 Managing Cookies

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies, delete existing cookies, or receive a warning before a cookie is stored. Disabling strictly necessary cookies may prevent you from using certain platform features. Our platform does not respond to browser Do Not Track signals at this time.

Section 11Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the following rights with respect to your personal information:

11.1 Right to Access

You have the right to request a copy of the personal information AetherAI holds about you. We will respond to verified access requests within 30 days.

11.2 Right to Correction

You have the right to request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete personal information. You may update certain information directly through your account settings. For information we cannot update through the platform, contact us at support@aetheraiapp.com.

11.3 Right to Deletion

You may request deletion of your personal information. We will honor deletion requests subject to the following exceptions:

• Information we are required to retain under applicable law.
• Information required to be retained by our commercial insurance carrier (minimum 2 years following your last rental).
• Information necessary to resolve pending disputes or enforce our agreements.
• Information necessary to complete a transaction you initiated.

11.4 Right to Withdraw Consent

Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time by contacting us at support@aetheraiapp.com. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing conducted before withdrawal. Withdrawing consent for identity verification or MVR screening will result in the suspension of your rental privileges.

11.5 Right to Opt Out of Marketing

You may opt out of receiving marketing communications at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any marketing email or by contacting us at support@aetheraiapp.com. You will continue to receive transactional and account-related communications regardless of your marketing opt-out status.

11.6 FCRA Rights

Your rights with respect to consumer reports obtained by AetherAI are described in Section 6 of this Privacy Policy. These rights are separate from and in addition to any general privacy rights described in this section.

11.7 How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of your privacy rights, contact us at:

Email: support@aetheraiapp.com
Mail: AetherAI Technologies LLC, Attn: Privacy, 7750 N MacArthur Blvd, Suite 120-240, Irving, Texas 75063

We will verify your identity before processing any request. We will respond within 30 days. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

Section 12Children's Privacy

The AetherAI Platform is not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, please contact us immediately at support@aetheraiapp.com and we will promptly delete that information.

Section 13Third-Party Links and Services

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not operated by AetherAI. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party services. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you access through our Platform. AetherAI is not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party services.

Section 14Texas Privacy Rights

Texas residents have specific rights under the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA) and other applicable Texas law. These include rights to access, correct, delete, and obtain a copy of your personal data, and to opt out of the processing of your personal data for targeted advertising, sale, or profiling.

AetherAI does not sell personal data as defined under Texas law. AetherAI does not use personal data for targeted advertising. AetherAI does not engage in profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects.

To exercise your Texas privacy rights, contact us at support@aetheraiapp.com. We will respond within 45 days of a verified request and may extend this period by an additional 45 days where reasonably necessary with prior notice. If we decline to act on your request, you may appeal by contacting us at the same address with the subject line "Privacy Rights Appeal." If your appeal is denied, you may contact the Texas Attorney General.

Section 15Changes to This Privacy Policy

AetherAI reserves the right to update this Privacy Policy at any time. When we make material changes, we will notify you by:

• Sending an email to the address associated with your account at least 14 days before the changes take effect.
• Displaying a prominent notice on the Platform indicating that the Privacy Policy has been updated.
• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this document.

Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the changes, you must discontinue use of the Platform and may request deletion of your account.

Section 16Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or AetherAI's data practices, please contact us: