Modern vehicles collect an astonishing amount of data about drivers — location history, driving habits, voice recordings, and even biometric data — and most automakers share or sell it to third parties.
What Your Car Collects
- GPS location tracked every few seconds
- Driving speed, acceleration, and braking patterns
- Voice commands and in-car conversations (some models)
- Phone contacts synced via Bluetooth
- Cabin camera footage (Tesla, Rivian, others)
Who Buys the Data
Insurance companies purchase driving behavior data to adjust premiums. Data brokers sell location histories to advertisers. Law enforcement can subpoena connected car data without the drivers knowledge.
How to Protect Yourself
Opt out of data sharing in your cars settings (often buried in infotainment menus). Avoid syncing your phone contacts. Disable voice assistants when not in use. Check your car manufacturers privacy policy — Mozilla Foundation rated 25 of 25 major car brands as privacy failures.
