Think your smartphone is the only thing tracking your every move? Think again. A recent Northeastern University study has pulled back the curtain on a new privacy frontier: your car. Modern vehicles aren’t just modes of transport—they’re sophisticated data collectors, and according to the research, they’re sharing that data with more third parties than most drivers realize.
Why This Matters
- Data privacy isn’t just about your phone or laptop anymore—your car is in the game, too.
- 19 out of 21 tested vehicles sent data to at least one third-party entity, even when you might think you’re just driving to the store.
- Unlike your phone’s advertising ID, your car’s VIN (vehicle identification number) is permanent and can be paired with your email or location to track you across services.
What Most People Miss
- The real culprit isn’t always the car—it’s the automaker’s app on your phone. Of the 21 cars tested, 10 didn’t contact ad trackers themselves, but their companion apps exposed owners to up to 25 ad networks.
- Disabling data sharing isn’t as simple as opting out. Tesla, for example, warns users that refusing data sharing could cause “reduced functionality, serious damage, or interoperability.” In other words: no data, no features.
- Automakers often bury these practices in privacy policies, failing to specify which companies get your data or why.
Key Takeaways
- Widespread Data Sharing: The study found that apps from major brands—GM, Honda, Nissan, Lincoln—routinely sent VINs and locations to advertising and analytics firms like Amplitude, Microsoft, and Acxiom.
- Regulatory Gaps: Despite the FTC’s 2024 order banning GM from selling driver data, the study predates these rules and doesn’t claim any violations. But it highlights the lag between technology and regulation.
- Opaque Privacy Practices: Privacy policies admit to sharing with third parties but rarely clarify who those parties are or how the data is used.
- Industry Response: Most automakers say it’s on you—the driver—to read and accept every third-party agreement, even for pre-installed software. Only Honda has made changes after being notified.
Comparing the Connected Car Landscape
- The average new car has over 100 million lines of code—more than a Boeing 787 jetliner!
- According to McKinsey, connected car data could generate up to $750 billion in annual value by 2030 (for companies, not consumers).
- This isn’t just a GM or Tesla issue—28 of 30 tested automaker apps contacted at least one ad or analytics company.
Action Steps & Practical Implications
- Read app privacy policies—painful, but revealing.
- Limit permissions in your car’s companion app—every toggle matters.
- Push lawmakers to close the regulation gap. As Professor David Choffnes put it: “Regulators should step in.”
- Consider cars and features from manufacturers with better privacy track records (Honda has started making changes; others, not so much).
The Bottom Line
Your car knows more about you than you think—and it’s sharing that intel with a surprising number of companies, often outside your control. As vehicles get smarter, the lines between tech and transport blur. Until regulation catches up, the onus is on consumers to stay vigilant and demand transparency. Next time you connect your car app, remember: convenience has a data price tag.