Connected Cars Are Quietly Sharing Driver Data With Advertisers, Study Finds

A new study from Northeastern University and Consumer Reports has found that 19 of 21 major car manufacturers collect and widely share customers' personal data through connected car apps. Researchers examined 30 vehicle companion apps and found 28 shared data with at least one third-party advertising or analytics firm, while seven sent personally identifiable details such as names, email addresses or precise locations to outside companies.

The report highlighted that some GM, Honda, Nissan and Lincoln apps combine vehicle identification numbers with location data or email addresses, making it easy for data brokers to track individual driving patterns and resell that information. This follows a May ruling by California's Attorney General and the California Privacy Protection Agency, which fined GM more than $12 million and barred it from sharing driver data with credit agencies and brokers for five years.

According to Consumer Reports, the data often flows to major tech companies including Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Reddit and Pinterest, many of which act both as software providers and as operators of advertising platforms. This means car owners' data can enter a much larger advertising ecosystem than most drivers realise. None of the automakers named in the report responded to requests for comment.