Archive · 6 Nov 2025
Modern Cars Collect Extensive Data, Raising Privacy Concerns for Drivers
Imagine your car is like a smartphone on wheels, but it collects a lot more information about you.
It knows where you go, how you drive, and even what you do inside the car, like when you unbuckle your seatbelt.
This information can be shared with companies that sell things or help set insurance rates.
Experts say it's important to be aware of this data collection.
You can often change settings in your car's computer to limit what data is shared.
Sometimes, if you turn off certain features, your car might not work as smoothly, but it helps protect your privacy.
When you sell your car, it's important to wipe all this information clean.
Modern cars collect extensive personal data, including location, driving habits, and sensor information.
The Mozilla Foundation ranked cars as the worst product category for privacy in a 2023 review.
Collected data can be shared with third parties like insurers, marketing companies, and data brokers.
Drivers can take steps to manage data collection by adjusting car settings, opting out of sharing, or using services like Privacy4Cars.
Disabling data collection may result in the loss of certain features and convenience, and it's crucial to perform a factory reset before selling a car.
- Who
- Car manufacturers and drivers
- What
- Modern cars collect vast amounts of personal data, raising privacy concerns.
- When
- Data collection practices have become more prevalent in the last five to ten years.
- Where
- This issue affects car owners globally.
- Why
- To provide new features and services, but also for sale to third parties like insurers and data brokers.
- Data Collection Practice
- Automotive data collection took off significantly about five years ago, with telematics systems becoming commonplace about a decade ago.
- Worst Product Category for Privacy
- The Mozilla Foundation declared cars the worst product category they had ever reviewed for privacy in 2023, analyzing 25 auto brands.
- Types of Data Collected
- Location, driving habits, onboard camera data, steering wheel input, door unlocks, telematics, GPS, connected devices, sensors, and more.
- Data Recipients
- Insurers, marketing companies, and data brokers.
- Regulatory Action
- General Motors was banned for five years from disclosing driver data to consumer reporting agencies without consent.
- Mitigation Services
- Privacy4Cars offers a free auto privacy labeling service and can assist with data restriction requests.