The Verge reports that many modern cars collect large amounts of data about their drivers. Some carmakers then sell that data to other companies.
General Motors was given a five-year ban by the US Federal Trade Commission. The company had been sharing details such as how often people sped or drove at night.
That data went to two brokers, LexisNexis and Verisk, which work with insurance companies. Some drivers told the New York Times their insurance rates went up because of it.
π The Backstory
Many GM owners signed up for an OnStar feature called Smart Driver without realising what it collected. A 2023 Mozilla study looked at every major carmaker and found 'horrible privacy and security' in all of them.
Cars are harder to manage than phones. Privacy settings are spread across the car, the phone app, the connected service and the finance contract.
US politicians have proposed a DRIVER Act to give owners more control. Privacy groups say it still lets carmakers collect and sell data, so they want collection limited at the source.
π― Why It Matters
Your driving habits can raise your insurance bill or be sold to firms you have never heard of. Most drivers have no idea it is happening.
The Verge reports that many modern cars collect large amounts of data about their drivers. Some carmakers then sell that data to other companies.
General Motors was given a five-year ban by the US Federal Trade Commission. The company had been sharing details such as how often people sped or drove at night.
That data went to two brokers, LexisNexis and Verisk, which work with insurance companies. Some drivers told the New York Times their insurance rates went up because of it.
Many GM owners signed up for an OnStar feature called Smart Driver without realising what it collected. A 2023 Mozilla study looked at every major carmaker and found 'horrible privacy and security' in all of them.
Cars are harder to manage than phones. Privacy settings are spread across the car, the phone app, the connected service and the finance contract.
US politicians have proposed a DRIVER Act to give owners more control. Privacy groups say it still lets carmakers collect and sell data, so they want collection limited at the source.
Your driving habits can raise your insurance bill or be sold to firms you have never heard of. Most drivers have no idea it is happening.