Automotive privacy concerns theprivacy ofautomobiles. Cars were described as the worst product category for privacy by theMozilla Foundation in 2023.[1]
The prevalence ofconnected cars increases the data collected includingpersonal data such asbiometric, driving behavior, facial expressions, immigration status,location, race, sexual activity, video footage[2] and othertelematic data.[3][4]
Location data has been reported to be sold todata brokers[5][6] and given to law enforcement[7] including without a warrant.[8][9][10]
In January 2026, the U.S.Federal Trade Commission settled a complaint withGeneral Motors andOnStar about collection and sale of consumer location data without adequate notification and consent.[11][12]
- ^Caltrider, Jen; Rykov, Misha; MacDonald, Zoë (6 September 2023)."It's Official: Cars Are the Worst Product Category We Have Ever Reviewed for Privacy".Mozilla Foundation. Retrieved2025-07-28.
- ^Stecklow, Steve; Cunningham, Waylon; Jin, Hyunjoo (6 April 2023)."Tesla workers shared sensitive images recorded by customer cars".Reuters. Retrieved2025-07-28.
- ^"'Privacy Nightmare on Wheels': Every Car Brand Reviewed By Mozilla — Including Ford, Volkswagen and Toyota — Flunks Privacy Test".Mozilla Foundation. 6 September 2023. Retrieved2025-07-28.
- ^"Cars & Consumer Data: On Unlawful Collection & Use".Federal Trade Commission. 14 May 2024. Retrieved2025-07-28.
- ^"Wyden Investigation Reveals New Details About Automakers' Sharing of Driver Information with Data Brokers; Wyden and Markey Urge FTC to Crack Down on Disclosures of Americans' Data Without Drivers' Consent".wyden.senate.gov. 26 July 2024. Retrieved2025-07-28.
- ^Hill, Kashmir (26 July 2024)."Automakers Sold Driver Data for Pennies, Senators Say".The New York Times.ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved2025-07-28.
- ^Condon, Bernard (4 January 2025)."Is your car spying on you? What it means that Tesla shared data in the Las Vegas explosion".AP News. Retrieved2025-07-28.
- ^"Wyden, Markey Reveal Automakers Provide Detailed Location Information to Law Enforcement Without a Warrant, Rarely Notify Car Owners; Request FTC Investigate Broken Promises to Protect Drivers' Privacy".wyden.senate.gov. 30 April 2024. Retrieved2025-07-28.
- ^Biddle, Sam (3 May 2021)."Your Car Is Spying on You, and a CBP Contract Shows the Risks".The Intercept. Retrieved2025-07-28.
- ^Coyer, Cassandre; Siemons, Jorja (1 October 2024)."Carmakers Justify Police Data Sharing Amid Congressional Probe".Bloomberg Law. Retrieved2025-07-28.
- ^"FTC Finalizes Order Settling Allegations that GM and OnStar Collected and Sold Geolocation Data Without Consumers' Informed Consent".Federal Trade Commission. 2026-01-14. Retrieved2026-02-11.
- ^Schwab, Grant (January 15, 2026)."GM slapped with five-year FTC penalty in data-selling scandal".The Detroit News. Retrieved2026-02-11.
