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Connected-car apps can expose far more than the buttons you tap on a phone. Depending on the vehicle, service and country, manufacturers may receive account identifiers, vehicle diagnostics, trip and driving data, precise location, and records of navigation, calls or infotainment use. The car can generate some of this information through its own systems, so an app does not have to be open for every collection or transmission event.
Manufacturers say they use the information to operate requested features, diagnose faults, support maintenance and warranty work, send alerts and updates, provide emergency or theft assistance, comply with law, and improve or personalize services. The exact data, purpose, recipients and controls come from the privacy notice for your specific vehicle and market.
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What data does a connected-car app collect?
Policies from Ford UK and Honda Canada describe several overlapping data sets. A particular model may collect only some of them, and the list can change with the connected service, subscription, settings and local law.
| Data category | Examples in the manufacturer policies | Why it can matter |
|---|---|---|
| Identity and account | Vehicle identification number (VIN), hardware or part identifiers, device identifiers, account and contact details, subscription links | Connects a vehicle or phone to the right account and service; also makes the information personally identifiable. |
| Vehicle status and diagnostics | System status, fluid levels, tire pressure, odometer, fuel or battery level, maintenance status, diagnostic trouble codes, software and firmware versions | Supports alerts, remote diagnosis, dealer service, warranty work, troubleshooting and update eligibility. |
| Trips and driving behaviour | Trip start and end times and locations, distance, fuel consumed, speed, acceleration and braking, accelerator or brake position, steering angle, seat-belt information and other control-system data | Can reveal where, when and how a vehicle is driven, not merely whether a feature was used. |
| Precise location | Real-time latitude and longitude, location used by navigation or location-based services | A sequence of coordinates can reveal a person’s home, workplace, routines and destinations. |
| Connected services and infotainment | Navigation searches and settings, calls made through connected services, calendar information used for navigation, audio settings, hotspot or connectivity use, phone or Bluetooth pairings, climate control and seat-position settings | Adds context about communications, interests, passengers and vehicle use. |
| Crash and safety signals | Airbag deployment and related vehicle-operation data; in some Honda models, automatic latitude and longitude transmission after a detected crash | May enable emergency response or recovery, but can also transmit information during an event when no one is operating the app. |
Ford UK says the level of connectivity and a customer’s choices affect what it collects. Honda Canada likewise qualifies collection by model and connected service, and separately describes data generated by the vehicle itself. These are examples from two jurisdiction-specific policies, not a promise that every car records every field.
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Does my car collect data when I am not using the app?
Often, it can. The app is one interface to a connected system; sensors, control modules and the vehicle’s communications unit can generate or transmit information independently. Honda Canada says some data remains in onboard vehicle systems and describes automatic transmissions for particular events and services. A crash signal, diagnostic event or scheduled status upload therefore may occur while the owner’s phone is idle.
Uninstalling an app usually addresses the phone interface, not every data path in the vehicle. It may leave an active subscription, an embedded modem, onboard records or an account association untouched. Whether a vehicle can be disconnected, and which functions stop when it is, depends on the model, service and market. Check the vehicle’s settings and the connected-service terms rather than assuming that deleting an app is a complete reset.
Why do manufacturers say they collect it?
To deliver features you request
Navigation, traffic information, remote functions, account services, roadside assistance and emergency features need data to work. Location can be required to return a route or find a vehicle; vehicle status can be required to show fuel, battery or tire pressure; an account identifier is needed to authenticate a remote command.
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To diagnose and maintain the vehicle
Status readings and diagnostic codes can let a manufacturer or dealer identify a fault, send a maintenance reminder, determine whether an update applies, or support a warranty claim. Ford UK and Honda Canada both describe service, troubleshooting and maintenance purposes. The data may be shared with dealers, service providers or independent operators involved in the requested work.
For safety, security and legal duties
Policies describe crash response, roadside help, theft recovery, fraud prevention and compliance with legal or regulatory requests. Honda Canada says location may be used in certain emergency, recovery, financing or legal situations. Emergency and legal exceptions can operate differently from ordinary marketing or personalization controls.
To improve products and operations
Manufacturers also list testing, research, analytics and product or service improvement. Aggregated or otherwise limited data may be used to find reliability patterns, evaluate software or plan new features, but the policy determines what “de-identified,” retained or shared means in a particular market.
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For personalization and marketing
Ford UK and Honda Canada both describe possible personalization and marketing uses, such as identifying products or services that may interest an owner. Those purposes are not automatic proof that every manufacturer uses every field for advertising. Look for separate consent, legitimate-interest language, opt-out choices and the list of recipients in your notice.
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If a connected service is enabled, the vehicle has the necessary hardware and the policy permits it, precise location may be collected. Ford UK describes real-time latitude and longitude. Honda Canada describes location for navigation and other location-based services, as well as certain emergency, recovery, financing and legal scenarios.
Location collection can be event-based, periodic or continuous for a particular service; the reviewed policies do not establish one industry-wide frequency. A route request, roadside call and crash alert may each have different triggers. A setting that disables location for ordinary connected features may not disable an emergency transmission or a legally required disclosure.
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Can driving data affect insurance or other decisions?
It can become relevant when an owner expressly enables a program or directs a manufacturer to share data with an insurer or another third party. Ford UK describes insurance-discount offerings where available, and Honda Canada describes third-party sharing in specified circumstances. The feature’s own terms should identify the recipient, data fields, retention period and permission required.
A separate, case-specific example comes from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In January 2025, the FTC alleged that General Motors and its OnStar service collected some customers’ location and driving-behaviour information as often as every three seconds, failed to provide adequate disclosure and affirmative consent, and shared data with third parties including consumer reporting agencies. FTC Chair Lina M. Khan said: “GM monitored and sold people’s precise geolocation data and driver behavior information, sometimes as often as every three seconds.” The figure describes that allegation, not a typical rate for connected cars or proof that every automaker follows the same practice.
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What changed in the FTC GM/OnStar order?
The FTC announced a finalized order in January 2026. For five years, it restricts covered disclosures of the information to consumer reporting agencies. The order lasts 20 years and also requires, subject to specified exceptions:
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- Affirmative express consent for covered collection, use or sharing;
- U.S. consumer mechanisms to request access to and deletion of covered data;
- An option to disable precise-location collection on vehicles with the necessary technology; and
- Opt-out choices for location and driving-behaviour data, with limited exceptions.
The order applies to the companies and conduct covered by that proceeding. It is not a finding that all manufacturers collect data in the same way, nor a market-wide measurement of how often connected vehicles transmit information.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who can receive the information, and where is it stored?
Recipients depend on the service and legal basis. Ford UK lists service providers, dealers and partners, parties a customer has asked or agreed to share with, and authorities in specified circumstances. Its policy identifies consent, contract, legal obligations and legitimate interests as possible legal bases. Honda Canada describes sharing with service providers and other parties for stated purposes.
Honda Canada says information may be stored or processed inside and outside Canada. Cross-border processing does not by itself explain every transfer; the applicable notice should identify the countries, safeguards and retention rules where those details are provided. A dealer visit, a roadside call and a voluntary insurance program can each involve a different recipient set.
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How Ford UK and Honda Canada describe connected-car data
The following comparison shows why country and model matter. It does not rank either manufacturer or imply that every vehicle in its range has the same capabilities.
| Comparison point | Ford UK Connected Car Privacy Policy | Honda Canada Vehicle Data Privacy Notice |
|---|---|---|
| Identity and vehicle links | Vehicle information can include a VIN and hardware or part identifiers; collection depends on connectivity level and customer choices. | Vehicle and device identifiers and account contact details connect services to an account, subscription or device. |
| Driving and trip examples | Speed, accelerator, brake, steering and seat-belt information are listed. | Trip times and locations, distance, fuel consumed, speed, acceleration or deceleration, pedal positions, steering angle and other control-system data are listed. |
| Location | Precise latitude and longitude may be collected in real time. | Location supports location-based services and certain emergency, recovery, financing or legal scenarios; some models may transmit coordinates after a detected crash. |
| Infotainment and connectivity | Connectivity, software versions, navigation and infotainment use, phone or Bluetooth pairings, climate control and seat position are examples. | Navigation searches and settings, connected-service calls, calendar data used for navigation, audio settings and hotspot or connectivity use are examples. |
| Purposes | Features, service, maintenance, troubleshooting, updates, analytics, personalization and marketing are described. | Features, diagnostics, maintenance, warranty, safety, recovery, legal compliance, research, analytics, personalization and marketing are described. |
| Geographic scope | UK policy; do not silently apply it to Ford policies in other countries. | Canada-specific notice for Honda and Acura connected-vehicle services; model and service qualifications apply. |
How to check and limit connected-car data
- Identify the exact service. Record the make, model year, trim, country, connected-service name and whether the vehicle has an embedded modem. The app privacy notice may be separate from the general vehicle policy.
- Read the current privacy notice. Look for data categories, collection triggers, purposes, recipients, retention, legal bases, cross-border transfers and rights. Save the version date because policies change.
- Audit enabled features. In the app and vehicle menus, review remote commands, navigation, emergency assistance, roadside service, hotspot, usage analytics and location options. Labels differ by model; use the owner’s manual for the exact path.
- Apply the narrowest control that fits. Turn off optional location, analytics, personalization or marketing where offered. Keep in mind that emergency, safety, legal or service functions may have separate exceptions.
- Review third-party permissions. If an insurer, dealer, navigation provider or another service receives data, read that feature’s consent screen and terms. Confirm what is shared and how to revoke access.
- Use privacy requests where available. Ask the manufacturer what data is associated with your account and whether access, deletion or opt-out rights apply in your jurisdiction. The available rights and exceptions differ by country.
- Reset before selling or returning a lease. Follow the manufacturer’s ownership-transfer process, remove paired phones and accounts, reset audio and navigation data, and cancel connected subscriptions. Honda Canada recommends updating ownership information and resetting audio and navigation systems; it warns that failing to notify it can leave some reports or services accessible to a previous owner.
- Verify after the reset. Check that the old account is removed, remote commands no longer work, saved destinations and contacts are gone, and the next owner can enroll independently. An app uninstall alone is not proof that vehicle-stored data or transmissions stopped.
Questions to ask before enabling a connected feature
- What exact fields are collected, and is collection continuous, periodic or event-triggered?
- Does the feature require precise location, driving behaviour or infotainment history?
- Which functions still transmit data when the app is closed or the phone is absent?
- Who receives the data: the manufacturer, an affiliate, a dealer, a service provider, an insurer or another party?
- How long is it retained, where is it processed, and can I access or delete it?
- What happens to the data when the vehicle is sold, leased to someone else or serviced by a dealer?
- Which controls are opt-in, which are opt-out, and which safety or legal exceptions remain?
The practical answer for owners
Treat a connected car as both a vehicle and a networked computer. Its data may include account details, mechanical health, exact movements, driving inputs and digital interactions. Connected features can provide real benefits—maintenance warnings, emergency assistance, theft recovery and remote control—but those benefits depend on data flows that vary by model and country.
There is no reliable market-wide percentage for how many manufacturers collect each category or how often they transmit it. The defensible way to decide is to read the notice for your vehicle, inspect its settings, understand third-party permissions and complete the official transfer or reset process before another person takes possession.
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