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Home › Data › Cars sharing your driving data
Data: What happens to your information · Cars

Cars sharing your driving data: fair or not?

Many newer cars are always online and can record where you go, how fast you drive and how hard you brake. Some drivers learned this data had been passed to data companies and used in insurance reports, without realizing they had agreed. Is it fair for a car you paid for to report on you?

Is it fair for your car to report how you drive to data companies that insurers use?

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What happens

Connected cars send data back to the automaker through a built-in cellular link or an app. This can include location, trip times, speed, hard braking and fast acceleration. Drivers often agree to terms at the dealership or in an app while setting up features like crash help, remote start or driving scores.

Some automakers have shared this data with data companies that sell reports and scores to insurers. Separately, some insurers run their own tracking programs through a plug-in device or phone app, usually in exchange for a possible discount. Drivers who never knowingly joined anything have found driving events listed in a consumer report and, in some cases, believed it affected their premiums.

Why many people say it’s not fair

  • Consent is often buried in long setup screens or dealership paperwork that few people read.
  • Data from your own car can be used to raise your insurance price.
  • Hard braking or late-night driving can look risky even when it was safe or necessary.
  • Drivers often cannot see what was collected or who received it.
  • Location history can reveal where you live, work, worship and get medical care.
  • Turning off tracking may also turn off useful features like crash alerts.

The other side

Automakers say connected data powers safety features like automatic crash response, stolen vehicle tracking, recall alerts and remote diagnostics. They say data shared for insurance was meant for drivers who chose to join programs that could lower their rates.

Insurers argue that pricing based on actual driving is fairer than pricing based only on age, ZIP code or credit, and that careful drivers can save money. Data companies say their reports follow federal credit reporting rules, which give consumers the right to see and dispute what is in them.

Options you may not be told about

LexisNexis Risk Solutions, which collects driving behavior data for insurers, gives one free consumer report every 12 months through its consumer portal. You can dispute errors.
Verisk stopped receiving driving data from automakers in 2024 but still lets people request a free copy of past Driving Behavior Data History reports through its consumer disclosure page.
Under its 2026 FTC order, GM must let U.S. consumers request a copy of their data, ask for deletion, and turn off precise location collection where the vehicle supports it.
Most insurer tracking programs are opt-in. You can ask your insurer whether driving data is used in your rate and decline programs you do not want.
Look in your car's connected services or privacy settings and in the automaker's app for options to limit data sharing or location tracking.

What you can do

  1. Request your free LexisNexis consumer report and, if you drive a GM, Honda or Hyundai, your Verisk report.
  2. Dispute any driving events or claims that are wrong.
  3. Review the privacy and data-sharing settings in your car and its app.
  4. Ask your insurer in writing what data it uses to set your rate.
  5. Read connected-services terms at the dealership before signing, and ask what is optional.
  6. Report concerns to the FTC and your state attorney general.

Rules and your rights

In January 2026 the FTC finalized an order against GM and OnStar over collecting and selling driver location and behavior data without proper consent. For five years GM cannot share such data with consumer reporting agencies, and it must get clear consent, offer data copies and deletion, and let drivers turn off location tracking. GM did not admit wrongdoing. The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives you the right to see and dispute consumer reports. Texas has sued Allstate and its unit Arity over driving data; those are allegations.

Has this happened to you? Share what happened so others know what to expect.

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Common questions

How do I find out if my car shared my driving data?

Request your free consumer disclosure report from LexisNexis Risk Solutions, which lists driving behavior data it holds, if any. If you drive a GM, Honda or Hyundai, you can also request your Verisk Driving Behavior Data History report. Then check your automaker's privacy portal or app for data request options.

Can my insurance company see my driving data?

It can if you join the insurer's own tracking program, or if it buys a report from a data company that received your car's data with your consent. Ask your insurer what data it uses. You can also get free copies of reports from the data companies and dispute errors.

Can I turn off data collection in my car?

Often you can limit it. Look for privacy or connected services settings on the car's screen and in the automaker's app, and check the automaker's privacy page. Turning off all connectivity may also turn off crash alerts, remote start or navigation updates, so decide which features matter to you.

Sources: TechCrunch: The FTC's data-sharing order against GM is finally settled (Jan. 14, 2026) ↗ · Parker Poe: FTC finalizes order alleging improper collection and sale of driver data ↗ · CFPB: LexisNexis C.L.U.E. and Telematics OnDemand consumer reports ↗ · Verisk: FCRA consumer disclosure forms ↗ · The Record: Data broker shuts down product related to driver behavior ↗ · WilmerHale: Texas AG sues Allstate and Arity under state privacy law (Jan. 2025) ↗

General information, not legal, financial or real estate advice. Whether a practice is fair is a matter of opinion; votes and shared experiences are the views of site visitors, not AblePro, Inc. Rules and company policies change; check current terms and your state’s rules.