How to Figure Out What Your Car Knows About You (and Opt Out of Sharing When You Can)

ForgottenFlux@lemmy.world to Technology@lemmy.world – 268 points –
How to Figure Out What Your Car Knows About You (and Opt Out of Sharing When You Can)
eff.org

Cars collect a lot of our personal data, and car companies disclose a lot of that data to third parties. It’s often unclear what’s being collected, and what's being shared and with whom. A recent New York Times article highlighted how data is shared by G.M. with insurance companies, sometimes without clear knowledge from the driver. If you're curious about what your car knows about you, you might be able to find out. In some cases, you may even be able to opt out of some of that sharing of data.

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They know a lot less than you think they do....and none of it is person data. It's all drivetrain and running diagnostic stuff. Very few cars in 2013 had apps for the vehicles....and pretty much none had them in 2003.

Well, if you think connected apps are the only way cars invade your privacy…. That’s cute, good for you.

Road speed, accelerator position, brake pedal position, number of seatbelts buckled or not, GPS position and heading, time since key on and probably at least a dozen other parameters I can’t think of off the top of my head are all being recorded. Those certainly are personal data that can and will be used against you in the event of a crash.

Yes. Telemetry boxes. Most cars have had them for almost twenty years. The cell connection is more modern.

Telemetric insurance is a thing now.

Yeah, just ask any Tesla driver who also has Tesla insurance. I’d be screwed HARD as I go to work when it’s still dark out and according to Tesla that makes me a huge risk.