Yes, connected cars can collect sensitive information about where and how you drive—but “spying” does not mean every new car records everything or sends every sensor reading to its maker. A 2023 Mozilla Foundation review found broad privacy-policy permissions and weak privacy and security practices among 25 major car brands. In a separate U.S. case, the Federal Trade Commission alleged that GM and OnStar collected precise location and driving data and shared it with consumer reporting agencies without adequate notice and consent; the FTC finalized an order settling those allegations in January 2026.
What did researchers find about car privacy?
Mozilla Foundation’s *Privacy Not Included project reviewed 25 major car brands across the United States, Germany, Japan, France, and South Korea. In its September 6, 2023 report, Mozilla said all 25 failed its consumer-privacy assessment and none met its minimum security standards. Mozilla said it spent 600 hours reviewing privacy policies, downloading apps, and contacting brands. These are findings from a policy and app review—not a technical audit proving what every individual vehicle collects or transmits.
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Mozilla identified policies that could permit collection of sensitive information such as precise location, driving behavior, voice, camera-derived information, health or biometric information, and details inferred about a person. Potential collection channels include vehicle sensors, microphones, cameras, paired phones and devices, apps, websites, dealerships, and telematics services. Policies may also permit disclosure or sale to third parties. What a policy allows is not proof that a specific car has collected each listed category.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsMozilla’s review cited brand-specific examples: it described Nissan’s policy as allowing collection of highly sensitive categories and broad sharing; Volkswagen materials included demographic and driving-behavior information for marketing; Toyota’s privacy documentation was spread across 12 policies; and Kia’s policy referred to sex-life information. These are Mozilla’s readings of the reviewed materials in 2023, not claims about every model, driver, or current policy.
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Mozilla also said it could not confirm whether any reviewed brand encrypted all personal information stored on its vehicles; Mercedes was the only brand to answer its encryption questions. That finding reflects the limits of the review and the brands’ responses, rather than a published technical inspection of every vehicle. Read Mozilla’s 2023 review.
What data can a car collect, and how?
Connected-car data can come from several places, not just a vehicle’s microphones or cameras. Depending on the car, its features, settings, and services, information may be generated by sensors and telematics, supplied by a paired phone, or associated with a manufacturer’s app or account. Companies can also infer information from collected data—for example, patterns in a person’s trips or driving behavior.
- Vehicle and telematics: location and driving events may be generated or transmitted by systems that support navigation, safety, diagnostics, or connected services.
- Phones and devices: pairing a phone may put contacts, addresses, or other device information in the car’s system.
- Apps and accounts: a manufacturer’s app or connected-service account can link activity and vehicle information to an identifiable user.
- Microphones and cameras: these may support particular features, but the evidence does not establish that all new cars continuously record conversations or transmit all possible sensor data.
The exact data and controls vary by brand, model, market, feature, and enrollment choice. The available evidence does not establish a universal count of new cars actively collecting each sensitive data type.
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In January 2025, the FTC alleged that GM used a confusing enrollment process for OnStar and Smart Driver, did not clearly disclose collection and sale of precise geolocation and driving-behavior data, and shared covered data with consumer reporting agencies. The FTC said location data for some users was collected as often as every three seconds. It described driving information that included hard braking, late-night driving, and speeding, and said consumer reporting agencies used GM data to compile reports that insurers used to deny coverage or set rates. These were allegations in the FTC’s action, not findings about all automakers. Read the FTC’s January 2025 announcement.
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In January 2026, the FTC finalized an order settling the allegations against GM and OnStar. The administrative order says respondents neither admit nor deny the complaint’s allegations, except as specified. It bars disclosure of covered driver data to consumer reporting agencies for five years. Over the order’s 20-year life, it requires affirmative express consent for covered collection, use, or sharing, subject to specified exceptions. It also provides for U.S. consumers to request copies of and deletion of covered data, disable vehicle-location collection where the vehicle has the necessary technology, and decline or withdraw consent under the order’s terms. These requirements apply to GM and OnStar, not the entire car industry. FTC announcement · Final administrative order.
Separate figures published by the Office of Senator Ron Wyden in 2024, based on information obtained from automakers during a Senate office investigation, said Hyundai shared data from 1.7 million cars with Verisk, which paid Hyundai $1,043,315.69; Honda shared data from 97,000 cars with Verisk, which paid Honda $25,920. These are figures from that investigation, not independently measured FTC findings. They do not establish that every automaker sells data to insurers. Read the Senate office announcement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to check your car’s privacy settings
There is no single setting or device established as a way to disable every channel of vehicle data collection. Check the current information for your own car, including its model year and market:
- Read the vehicle’s current privacy notice to see which data categories it describes, what features trigger collection, who may receive information, and how long it is retained.
- Review connected-services enrollment and any consent choices. Check whether a service is optional and whether declining it affects unrelated features.
- Look through the in-car privacy and location settings. Determine what each control disables; a location control, for example, may not cover app or phone data.
- Check the manufacturer’s app permissions and account settings, as well as the phone’s permissions for that app.
- Use the owner’s manual or ask the manufacturer or dealer for model-specific instructions when a control or data practice is unclear.
FTC staff’s broader discussion of vehicle data explains why notice, consent, and the use of sensitive information matter, but it is not a census of automaker practices. FTC staff analysis.
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How to remove personal information before selling a car
Before selling or donating a vehicle, clear information stored in its infotainment system and disconnect accounts and subscriptions. The FTC notes that a car may store phone contacts and address books, app login information, music, navigation addresses and routes, and garage-door codes.
- Consult the owner’s manual, dealer, or manufacturer for the model’s reset and removal instructions.
- Use the factory-reset option if available, while checking which data it removes.
- Disconnect paired phones and vehicle-control apps from the car and remove the vehicle from relevant accounts.
- Cancel or transfer satellite-radio, hotspot, and other data-service subscriptions. A factory reset may not end them.
See the FTC’s vehicle data-removal guidance.
How to compare cars’ privacy practices
There is no universal “most private car” ranking established by these sources. For a useful comparison, look at the same model year and market, and separate a company’s policy language from independently observed data flows.
- What categories of data does the privacy notice say may be collected?
- Which features, connected services, or enrollment choices trigger collection?
- Can location collection be disabled, and can consent be declined without losing unrelated functionality?
- Which named third parties receive information, and for what stated purpose?
- How long is data retained, and can a user request access or deletion?
- How clearly does the company explain controls and their limits?
Policies, settings, and implementation can change. Mozilla’s 2023 review is not a fresh 2026 measurement of vehicle systems; the FTC’s more recent order addresses GM and OnStar in the United States. Check the current privacy notice and manual for the specific vehicle you are considering.
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