Major report says most car apps are leaking sensitive data to brokers

Date:
Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Description:
Your vehicle might be sending your personally identifiable info to data brokers and Big Tech, new report finds.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Consumer Reports has released a study on car privacy practices The report found huge privacy breaches across the board Big Tech firms are some of the largest recipients of your personal data Your car could be leaking personal information to Big Tech data brokers and invading your privacy without your knowledge. Thats the conclusion of a new study from Consumer Reports , and it will be uncomfortable reading for anyone whos concerned that their car may be sending personal info to data brokers.

The report was conducted by privacy researchers from Northeastern University in Boston and used Consumer Reports vehicles and Auto Test Center. The data, it argues, shows that your car may be spying on you, with the information it gleans from your driving behavior being sent to some of the worlds biggest tech companies. Its no secret that many recent cars collect an enormous
amount of data about you not just the way you drive, but the apps you use
and even your voice . This is sometimes used to market products to you and could potentially result in you being charged higher insurance premiums. Several carmakers have been fined for carrying out these practices without clearly informing users. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

Now, Consumer Reports says that, of the vehicles it tested, Nearly every automaker sent data to outside companies.

Moreover, almost a quarter of the vehicles apps were found to be sending out personally identifiable information, including vehicle owners names, vehicle identification numbers (VINs), and precise geographic locations. That data could be sold to data brokers and linked to other information held about you, which means that anyone who purchases that information would know a huge amount about you without having met you. You may like The 'Temu Range Rover' privacy trap: why it's not just Chinese cars watching you Every new car in
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It also puts you at greater risk should that data be leaked or hacked. A massive aggregation of personally identifiable information could be used for stalking, identity theft, medical fraud or other damaging forms of criminal and nefarious behavior.

As Sarah Elizabeth Gillespie, one of the studys co-authors, opined: It does not appear that a customer can buy a new car that does not track you. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Where is the data going? (Image credit: Tesla) The worst privacy breach involved those firms that sent both the VIN and another data point, such as your email address or full name, to a data broker. That allows an advertising firm to link you to
to one of many commercially available consumer profiles, which are sold by data brokers and other companies. The data often includes online behavior and shopping history, Consumer Reports concluded.

Interestingly, Consumer Reports said that The top recipients of the driver data were some of the countrys largest tech companies, including Amazon , Google , Meta, Microsoft , Pinterest, Snap, and Yahoo.

Why is this data primarily flowing to Big Tech firms ? The answer, Consumer Reports said, was twofold: they are often providers of connected apps in the cars infotainment system, and also function as operators of advertising auction platforms used by third-party marketers. What to read next Think
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While some automakers said that their data-sharing terms could be opted out of, that could severely restrict the way you use it. In the case of Tesla , the companys data-sharing agreement says that opting out may result in your vehicle suffering from reduced functionality, serious damage, or inoperability.

Indeed, Tesla was one of the worst offenders, with the researchers noting
that the Tesla Model 3 connected to 34 advertising, tracking or analytics domains. The second-worst offender in this category was another Tesla
vehicle, the Cybertruck, with 23 connections.

Of the vehicles tested, 28 of 30 connected mobile apps sent data to at least one outside advertising and/or analytics company, and seven sent at least one piece of personally identifiable information the vehicle owners name, the cars VIN, or its precise geographic location to at least one outside
company, Consumer Reports warned.

The study added that The findings underscore the immense personal data ecosystem that American consumers are unwittingly drawn into when they purchase and use everyday consumer products, including autos. Follow
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-tech/major-report-says-its-now-impossible-to -buy-a-new-car-that-does-not-track-you-as-tesla-is-branded-one-of-the-worst-of fenders-for-privacy-breaches


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