Some automakers have collected and disclosed connected-car location and driving data. The clearest recent example is General Motors and OnStar: the Federal Trade Commission finalized an order in January 2026 addressing the practices it alleged, including disclosures to consumer reporting agencies. That does not mean every car sells every driver’s data. What your vehicle collects or transmits depends on its hardware, software, connected services, settings, and your choices.
What “selling your data” means in practice
A car’s connected services may collect sensitive information such as location, telematics, driving behavior, biometrics, or video. That information can be used to provide services or disclosed to other companies. “Sale” can have a broader meaning in privacy law than a cash transaction; sharing or transferring data may also be relevant. The available evidence documents particular disclosures, not a universal practice across all makes and models. The FTC’s connected-vehicle guidance and Ford’s privacy notice describe the kinds of data and services that can be involved.
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In January 2025, the FTC alleged that GM and OnStar enrolled some drivers through a confusing process and collected precise location and driving-behavior data—sometimes as often as every three seconds—then disclosed it to consumer reporting agencies without adequate notice and consent. The complaint described information such as hard braking, speeding, and late-night driving. Those were allegations about affected customers, not a finding that every GM owner was enrolled or affected. The FTC’s January 2025 announcement explains the allegations.
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In January 2026, the FTC announced that its order had been finalized. It bars GM for five years from disclosing covered geolocation and driving-behavior data to consumer reporting agencies. For 20 years, it also requires affirmative express consent for covered connected-vehicle data practices, ways to request a copy of or deletion of data, a way to disable precise-location collection where the vehicle supports it, and an opt-out from collection subject to limited exceptions. These requirements apply to GM and OnStar under the order; they are not settings or legal obligations that can be assumed for other automakers. See the FTC’s final-order announcement for its terms.
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The FTC said consumer reporting agencies used GM data to compile reports that insurers used to deny coverage or set rates. California authorities separately said California drivers were not directly affected by GM data sales for rate-setting because California insurance law prohibits using driving data to set insurance rates. That qualification is specific to California; it should not be generalized to other states. California authorities’ announcement describes the state’s action.
California authorities announced a proposed GM settlement that includes a $12.75 million civil penalty, deletion of retained driving data within 180 days subject to exceptions, requests to LexisNexis and Verisk to delete data, and a five-year stop on selling driving data to consumer reporting agencies. The announcement said the settlement was subject to court approval. California characterized the retention and sale practices as violations of its purpose-limitation and data-minimization requirements; this is the state’s account of its settlement, not a rule that applies identically in every jurisdiction.
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How widespread are car-data practices?
A NIST-hosted document reproduces findings from Mozilla Foundation’s 2023 review of 25 car brands: Mozilla found that all 25 collected personal data, 84% shared or sold data, 92% gave drivers little to no control over personal data, and 68% had a “bad track record” involving leaks, hacks, or breaches threatening privacy. These figures describe that review’s sample and methodology, not a current census of automakers or a measurement of every model. The NIST-hosted September 2023 document labels the figures as coming from Mozilla’s review.
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How to check and limit your car’s data collection
- Identify the exact vehicle and services. Note the make, model year, trim, and connected services you or a previous owner activated. Read the manufacturer’s connected-vehicle privacy notice and the owner’s manual; menus and available controls can differ by vehicle and software version.
- Review enrollment and app permissions. Check the car’s connected-service account, companion app, and in-vehicle privacy menus for location, driving behavior, analytics, voice features, and third-party app access. Opt out of collection or sharing where the vehicle and applicable rules allow it.
- Use applicable GM/OnStar controls if you have one. The FTC order requires covered consent, data-copy, deletion, and opt-out mechanisms. The ability to disable precise-location collection depends on the vehicle’s technical capability, and limited exceptions may apply. Consult the relevant GM or OnStar account and vehicle controls for the available options.
- Prepare the car before selling or returning it. Remove it from linked manufacturer and connectivity accounts, unpair phones, delete imported contacts and saved navigation destinations, and perform the manufacturer-recommended factory or connectivity reset. Ford, for example, directs owners to use a master/factory reset or connectivity reset and remove the vehicle from the Ford/AT&T account where applicable. Its notice says settings depend on the vehicle and points owners to the connected-car app, in-vehicle menus, and owner’s manual; those steps are not universal instructions for other makes. See Ford’s current privacy notice and follow the manual for your vehicle’s exact procedure.
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How to compare two vehicles’ privacy practices
Compare the same model year and market, and check the same categories for each vehicle rather than relying on a brand-wide label. A privacy notice may describe potential collection, while actual transmission can depend on services, settings, and user selections.
- Which data categories are collected, and whether location is precise.
- How often location or driving data is transmitted, if the notice specifies it.
- The stated purposes and recipients, including service providers, insurers, or consumer reporting agencies.
- Whether controls are opt-in or opt-out, and whether you can request access or deletion.
- How long information is retained and what happens after a service ends or the vehicle changes hands.
- Whether your settings also cover other drivers, passengers, and connected-app integrations.
The sources here do not provide a standardized, current ranking of automakers, so they are not enough to identify a single least-invasive brand.
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