Schneier on Security

Connected Cars Are a Surveillance Platform

Researchers at Northeastern University, in collaboration with Consumer Reports, evaluated how much modern cars spy in their drivers:

To determine this, CR dug through thousands of pages of automakers’ privacy policies and asked questions of 15 different automakers­BMW, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Stellantis, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, and Volkswagen. We also reviewed corporate, regulatory, and legal filings from data brokers operating in the “insurtech” industry­the technology companies and data brokers that help insurance companies set their rates. And we spoke to several car privacy experts, who, at industry conferences and in market reports, have described the profit potential of individual driving data as the “new oil.”

We found that while some automakers may obtain your “permission” to collect your driving data, you may agree without knowing you’ve done so. For example, after buying a new car, when you first turn on the infotainment system­the onboard display that can allow you to control heat and AC, GPS navigation, music, and more­you are usually shown a series of consent forms, including ones about privacy policies. Those forms can also pop up on a connected mobile app. Many of us simply accept their terms without reading through them.

Basically, your car’s manufacturer has you under constant surveillance, and they use that data against you.

The companies on the receiving end of your data, our investigation has found, include car insurers and lenders that are partners in “telematics data exchanges,” which compile driving data on millions of drivers, thousands of data brokers that create personalized risk scores, companies selling infotainment and WiFi hotspot products, and even local and state government agencies working on planning, traffic, and safety initiatives.

Remember the adage “If you’re not the customer, then you’re the product”? (The sentiment is older than you think.) Turns out that with modern internet-connected everything, you’re the product even if you are the customer.

Tags: cars, privacy, surveillance

Posted on October 1, 2026 at 7:06 AM • 6 Comments