A peer-reviewed study conducted by researchers at Northeastern University in partnership with Consumer Reports reveals that modern connected vehicles and their official companion mobile apps routinely broadcast sensitive driver information to advertising networks and data brokers. The research shows that pairing a companion app to a vehicle roughly doubles a user's exposure to tracking and advertising entities.
Widespread Third-Party Tracking
The researchers evaluated 21 late-model vehicles from 17 manufacturers—including Tesla, Ford, Rivian, Lucid, Toyota, and GM brands Cadillac and Chevrolet—alongside 30 companion mobile software applications. Out of the 21 vehicles evaluated, 19 sent data to at least one third party. Furthermore, seven of the 30 tested apps transmitted highly sensitive information, including Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs), email addresses, phone numbers, and precise real-time locations, to companies focused on tracking and advertising.
Tech companies identified as receiving user data include Meta, Google, Microsoft, Adobe, Snap, ContentSquare, and Yahoo. By aggregating multiple identifiers sent to the same destination, third parties and data brokers can compile detailed consumer profiles, which are subsequently shared or sold to financial institutions and insurance providers.
Automaker Responses and Mobile Privacy Gaps
When researchers notified the participating automakers of their findings, almost all manufacturers deflected responsibility, attributing the data collection to user behavior or third-party web links opened within the apps. Automakers noted that companion app links leading to external web pages could drop tracking cookies without providing explicit warnings to drivers.
Honda was the sole manufacturer to address the findings by modifying its data-handling practices. Following the study's disclosures, Honda instructed its vendor Amplitude to purge all collected geolocation data.
AI-generated editorial illustration; not a documentary photograph.
Source: Your car and its mobile app are probably handing over all kinds of data to tech companies
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