Why Automakers Are Invading Your Privacy

Cars are collectively a ‘privacy nightmare’ that has gone unaddressed for far too long, according to the Mozilla Foundation. A 2023 report from the group says privacy policies give automakers like GM, Nissan, Tesla and Toyota far too much access to personal data and latitude in what they do with it. Some high profile lawsuits highlight how car companies can and in some cases have collected data on drivers without their consent and passed it on to third parties, including insurance companies. Regulators and elected officials have taken notice and are planning legislation and other measures.

01:54 Introduction - Why automakers are invading your privacy
2:02 Chapter 1 - What is collected
04:45 Chapter 2 - What they’re doing with it
08:35 Chapter 3 - The consent problem
11:45 Chapter 4 - The future

Producer: Robert Ferris
Editor: Darren Geeter
Animation: Christina Locopo, Jason Reginato
Senior Managing Producer: Tala Hadavi
Additional footage: Getty Images, Tesla, Hyundai, Nissan, Kia, BMW, General Motors

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Why Automakers Are Invading Your Privacy

[blindluck]

Surveillance in the name of safety. Every time governments & big corporations tells you, they are doing something for safety, it turns into Surveillance.

[creepingcharly]

I'm sick and tired of the canned corporate response of "We take customer privacy very seriously" when it's patently false and there is overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

[awesomebears]

Am i the only one that wants a car WITHOUT all this fancy tech and bs. I just want Car, Aux, stereo, and a cup holder.

[GMANBC]

The idea that you can’t opt out of the car data collection makes this idea despicable especially with the cost of the car.

[gordonramsay]

a world where criminals are more interested in taking your data than stealing your car is one you should be very scared of.

[scotttmendiola]

And yet when the car gets stolen, no one can find the damn car? Is there any data on the car thief? Arrest warrants, criminal history, frequent chop shops. No?

[richardlin]

People in the US are worried about a surveillance state, but don't realize that it's been privatized for years now.

[richboy]

So we are ‘paying’ $60k for selling our own data? That’s wild

[AK-jtkh]

This is one reason I drove all the way to NJ to get my car. It's a 2004 Monte Carlo. Great car, and I don't feel like I'm living in a fish tank when I drive it.

[Machtyn]

What I'm frustrated about is that with all these cameras, none of them are owner accessible. Meaning we have to buy a separate dashcam to protect ourselves from insurance scammers and other problems.

[CptEddyPrice]

I'm sick of data collecting in EVERYTHING. If I opt out I can't play the game, If I don't want to use a service I can't access the Play Store for apps etc. At this point I think I want to go Medieval... as In minimum or no technology.

[Emanuel]

So many times I pay with my credit card and the first ad to see on social media is… you guessed right, the product and store I just went to.

[RiveRRatt]

They will also be able to shut your car down at anytime, block you from leaving a specified area and anything else they feel fit to impose on you. This is way bigger then just privacy.

[whatever_]

With modern car being so high-tech it should be classified in the same category as smartphone in the judicial system

[socialnginrin]

every company is trying to farm data now, it's scary AF

[sootuckchoong]

If the cars are being spied wherever it goes, that means they should be able to trace where your car is if its being stolen!

[Jabid]

Owners should have the right to disable the data collection and disable the cellular modem even if it takes away online features.

[davesup]

The problem with all this is no matter how much of this is talked about on various channels, nothing is ever going to be done about it. If anything it will get worse

[chicitizen]

Our automobiles are not ours anymore, cars are now unsecured computers on wheels.

[HammerPaired]

When they say “We never sell your personal data”, it doesn’t mean they won’t buy it from others, aggregate it with other data they’ve purchased about you, build a data lake containing your profile, and then share it in exchange for additional data about others.