Privacy Policy

1. Introduction & Binding Scope

Welcome to DownShift. Your privacy and data security are of fundamental importance to us. This Privacy Policy details how DownShift Automotive Pvt. Ltd. ("we," "our," or "us") collects, processes, protects, and manages your personal information across our mobile application, web platform, and connected automotive services (collectively, the "Services"). By installing, registering, or accessing DownShift, you provide explicit consent to the terms of this Policy.

2. Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 Compliance

DownShift operates in strict accordance with India's Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 and international data protection standards. Personal data is processed exclusively for specified, lawful purposes with transparent user authorization.

3. Information We Collect & Purpose Specification

We process specific data streams to deliver high-performance garage diagnostics, market pricing models, and service automation:

• Identity Data (Name, Email, Phone): Collected for account creation, biometric/OTP authentication, fraud prevention, and essential transactional notices.
• Vehicle Telemetry & Specs (Make, Model, Year, Mileage, Service Logs): Collected to build your Digital Garage ledger, compute intelligent maintenance schedules, and generate accurate vehicle valuations.
• Geolocation Coordinates: Processed with device permission to power the real-time Fuel Radar, index local garage service centers, and dispatch emergency Roadside Assistance.
• Media & Uploaded Content: Images of vehicles, modifications, and RC documents uploaded by users are processed for marketplace listings, profile customization, and AI document parsing.

4. Third-Party Data Sharing & Infrastructure Disclosures

DownShift does not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. Data is shared with third-party service infrastructure strictly for service fulfillment under binding non-disclosure agreements:

• Cloud Infrastructure & Storage: Encrypted databases hosted on Google Cloud Platform / Firebase.
• Emergency Roadside Assistance: Location coordinates shared with verified third-party towing and emergency mechanics upon user-initiated dispatch requests.
• Payment Processors: Payment tokens and transaction logs processed securely via RBI-compliant gateway partners.

5. Data Principal Statutory Rights (DPDP Act 2023)

Under Sections 11, 12, 13, and 14 of the DPDP Act 2023, you hold the following enforceable rights:

• Right to Withdraw Consent: You retain the absolute right to withdraw processing consent at any time via the Driver Profile Settings tab or by contacting our Data Protection Officer. Upon withdrawal, processing ceases within 48 hours.
• Right to Correction & Updating: You have the right to request immediate correction, completion, or updating of inaccurate or obsolete personal and vehicle records.
• Right to Erasure / Account Deletion: You have the statutory right to demand full account termination and permanent erasure of all associated garage logs, media files, and personal identifiers. Visit our dedicated Data Deletion Policy Page for instant self-serve instructions.
• Right of Grievance Redressal: You have the right to readily available grievance redressal regarding any act or omission of DownShift regarding your personal data.
• Right to Nominate (Section 14, DPDP Act 2023): You have the right to nominate any individual who shall, in the event of your death or incapacity, exercise your data rights on your behalf. To register a nominee, write to shiftdownauto@gmail.com with subject line "Data Nominee Registration" along with your account email and nominee's full name and contact details.

6. Children's Personal Data (DPDP Act 2023, Section 9)

DownShift does not knowingly collect, process, or store personal data of children under the age of 18 years without verifiable parental or guardian consent, as mandated by Section 9 of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.

• Users must be 18 years or older to register an account and access marketplace features.
• DownShift does not serve targeted advertising to minors and does not profile children's data.
• If we become aware that personal data of a child has been collected without appropriate consent, we will delete such data immediately and terminate the associated account.
• Parents or guardians who believe their child's data has been collected may contact shiftdownauto@gmail.com for immediate erasure.

7. Brand Trademarks & Nominative Fair Use

DownShift is an independent automotive intelligence platform. All manufacturer names, OEM logos, insignia emblems, model titles, and visual trademarks referenced within the app or website belong exclusively to their respective trademark holders. Their usage is strictly for vehicle identification and catalog accuracy under Nominative Fair Use principles, with zero implied endorsement or official affiliation.

8. Data Security & Retention Period

All user records are secured using end-to-end encryption (TLS/AES-256). Personal data is retained strictly as long as your account remains active. Upon explicit request or account termination, data is permanently purged within 30 days.

9. Third-Party AI API Disclosure

DownShift uses third-party AI inference APIs to power features including the AI Mechanic, vehicle identification, valuation intelligence, and diagnostic recommendations. The following disclosures apply:

• Google Gemini API: Used for AI Mechanic chat, vehicle spec queries, and natural language diagnostic processing. Conversation inputs are transmitted to Google's API infrastructure under Google's data processing terms. No personally identifiable information is permanently stored by the AI provider.
• Firebase ML & Vision: Used for vehicle image processing and document parsing. Images are transmitted over encrypted channels and are not retained by third-party AI providers beyond the inference request.
• Zero Training on User Data: DownShift does not permit third-party AI providers to use your personal data, vehicle records, or uploaded media for model training purposes.

You may opt out of AI-powered features at any time via in-app Settings. Opting out disables AI Mechanic, smart valuation, and AI listing verification. Core garage and marketplace features remain fully functional.

10. Grievance Officer & Statutory Contact Details (IT Rules 2021 & DPDP Act 2023)

In accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000 and DPDP Act 2023, the details of the Grievance Redressal Officer for DownShift are provided below: