Is your car sharing your data without you knowing?

Modern cars collect detailed driving and vehicle data, while drivers often cannot see where it goes. Review the maker's app and opt out of optional sharing.

A Northeastern University study examining Honda, GM, and Ford found that modern vehicles collect driving and vehicle data and can pass information to third parties while giving drivers little visibility into what is shared. A connected car can reveal repeated routes, timing, driving behavior, diagnostics, and other patterns—potentially a more detailed picture of daily habits than a phone app alone. Start in the automaker’s phone app and the car’s privacy menu.

Turn off optional analytics, marketing, location history, and telematics programs you do not use, then look on the manufacturer’s privacy page for data-broker or sale/sharing opt-outs. Before disabling a setting, check whether it also powers features you rely on, such as crash response, stolen-vehicle help, remote start, or maintenance alerts. Recheck after app or vehicle-software updates because choices can move or reset.