Modern cars are computers on wheels that are increasingly connected, enabling innovative new features that make driving safer and more convenient. But these systems are also collecting vast amounts of data on our driving habits and other personal information, raising concerns about data privacy.
Here’s how your car spies on you and how you can reduce it:
How do cars collect data
According to the Mozilla Foundation, it’s hard to figure out how much of your data a modern car is collecting. Privacy practices analyzed Among 25 auto brands in 2023. It announced that cars were the worst product category the group had ever reviewed for privacy.
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Data points include all your usual interactions with the car – like turning the steering wheel or unlocking a door – but also data from connected onboard services, such as satellite radio, GPS navigation systems, connected devices, telematics systems as well as data from sensors or cameras.
Vehicle telematics systems becoming almost common decade agoAnd the practice of automotive data collection started about five years ago.
The problem is not just where the data is being collected, but who it is being provided to, including insurers, marketing companies and secret data brokers. This issue came to light earlier this year General Motors It was banned for five years from disclosing data collected from drivers to consumer reporting agencies.
The Federal Trade Commission accused GM of not getting consent before sharing the data, which included every instance when a driver was speeding or driving late at night. It was eventually provided to insurance companies who used it to set their rates.
Be aware.
The first thing drivers need to know is what data their car is collecting, said Andrea Amico, founder of automotive privacy company Privacy4Cars.
In an ideal world, drivers would read the instruction manuals and documents that come with their cars, and ask the dealership about what is being collected.
But it’s not always practical to do so, and manufacturers don’t always make it easy to figure out, while dealership staff don’t always have the best information, Amico said.
Privacy4Cars offers free auto privacy labeling service here VehiclePrivacyReport.com This can summarize what your car can be tracking.
Owners can punch in their car’s vehicle identification number, which then pulls up the automaker’s data privacy practices, such as whether the car collects location data and whether it’s passed on to insurers, data brokers or law enforcement.
Change your settings
Data collection and tracking begins as soon as you drive a new car off the dealership lot, with drivers unknowingly giving consent when a warning menu pops up on the dashboard touch screen.
Experts say that while some of the data collection is baked into the system, you can revoke your consent by going back into the menu.
“There are permissions in your settings that you can make choices about,” said Lauren Hendry Parsons of Mozilla. “Go to the granular level and look at the settings where you can.”
For example, Toyota says on its website that drivers can decline This is called “Master Data Consent” through the Toyota app. Ford says owners can opt out of sharing vehicle data with the company by going to the dashboard settings on the menu or fordpass Application.
BMW says Privacy settings Can be adjusted through the infotainment system, allowing all services including analysis data “on one spectrum” and none at all.
you can get out
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Drivers in the US can ask car manufacturers to restrict what is done with their data.
Consumer Reports said that under state privacy laws, some car manufacturers allow owners across the United States to limit the use of their personal data, opt out of sharing it, or submit requests to delete it. The publication said other auto companies limit requests to people in states with applicable privacy laws.
You can submit the request through the online form or the car manufacturer’s mobile app.
You can also go through Privacy4Cars, which offers a free online service that streamlines the process. It can either point car owners to their automaker’s request portal or file a submission on behalf of owners in the US, Canada, EU, UK and Australia.
…but there will be a compromise
Experts warn that compromises are usually lost if you decide to turn off data collection.
For example, most people have switched to satellite navigation systems instead of paper maps because it’s “worth the convenience of being able to get from point A to point B really easily,” Hendry Parsons said.
Consumer Reports says turning off location tracking could also stop features like roadside assistance or disable smartphone app features like remote door locking.
BMW advises that if an owner chooses not to share data at all, “their vehicle will behave like a smartphone in flight mode and will not transmit any data to the BMW back end.”
When selling your car
When it comes time to sell your car or trade it in for a new model, it’s no longer as simple as handing over the keys and signing some paperwork.
If you have a new car, experts say you should always do a factory reset to erase all data, which will also include removing any smartphone connections.
And don’t forget to inform the manufacturer about the ownership change.
Amico said this is important because if you trade in your vehicle, you may not want insurers to associate this with your profile if the dealer is letting customers take it for a test drive.
“Now your record could be affected by someone else driving – a complete stranger with whom you have no relationship.”
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This story has been corrected to show that the Mozilla representative’s first name is Lauren, not Laura.
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