New Cars Secretly Sharing Driver Data with Tech Giants
Researchers at Northeastern University and Consumer Reports conducted a study on vehicle data sharing. They tested 21 vehicles and 30 companion apps, finding that 28 of the apps sent data to at least one outside advertising or analytics company.
The study discovered that seven apps shared personally identifiable information, including driver names, Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN), and precise locations. This data was sent to companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft.
Some automakers noted that many of the apps and services are 'opt-in,' meaning drivers must agree to share their data. However, researchers found that some popular features will not function without opting in, and in some cases, a vehicle's connected services may be significantly limited.