Nearly all 19 car brands send driver data to third parties (Northeastern/CR)

Northeastern and Consumer Reports tested 21 vehicles from 19 brands; nearly all transmitted driver data to third parties, including some of the world's largest ad companies. Collected data spans precise GPS per trip, speed/braking/acceleration, seatbelt use, infotainment usage, seat-sensor biometrics, and in-cabin camera footage. In 2026 the FTC's order against GM/OnStar found it collected and sold precise geolocation and driving behavior from millions of vehicles without adequate consent — data that flows on to banks, insurers, and lenders.

Your car knows where you sleep, work, worship, and shop — and it's selling that map. You can't opt a modern car out of the internet; the data pipe is wired in at the factory, and the buyer might be your insurer.

Precise GPS for every trip, routed to data brokers.

In-car footage and seat-sensor biometrics are in scope.

Driving data becomes your risk profile — and your rate.

The rule people who run infrastructure live by: never connect the things you care about to the internet. If a product can phone home, assume it does — and assume someone's buying.