Plenty of car buyers never download the brand's app. They figure if they don't connect their phone, their car isn't sharing much. A new study suggests otherwise.
Your customers may assume their car is private. Many of them are wrong.
Northeastern University Study: Which Cars Contact the Most Trackers
Researchers at Northeastern University found that 19 of 21 vehicles they tested contacted at least one third party over Wi-Fi, including known advertising and tracking domains, according to their "Automatic Transmission" report.
Advertising, tracking, and analytics domains contacted:
Tesla Model 3: 34
Tesla Cybertruck: 23
Cadillac Lyriq: 10
Lucid Air: 9
Chevrolet Blazer: 7
Honda Prologue: 5
The Mercedes-Benz EQS and Buick Envista contacted none. The Lyriq, Blazer, and Prologue all ride on GM's EV architecture with a Google-based infotainment system, for a combined 31 domain contacts.
Drivers have strong feelings about this. A 2024 survey found 96% of people believe they should own and control the data their cars generate, and 78% feel uneasy about automakers collecting it.
"We're committed to keeping customer data secure so people can enjoy the benefits of in-vehicle connectivity." GM spokesperson
Why Vehicle Data Privacy Matters at the Dealership
There's a difference between keeping data secure and keeping it private. Data can be perfectly secure and still be shared with third parties, and that's the part customers care about.
The tricky part is that a car's telemetry can stay connected even if the owner never touches the app. Since a vehicle usually parks at the same home every night and is registered to a specific person, that data can be tied directly to the buyer. We think customers deserve a clear choice, and we wouldn't be surprised to see regulators take a closer look.
For dealers, this is a trust opportunity. Walk customers through privacy settings at delivery, explain what the car shares, and show them how to adjust it. Few will expect it, and many will remember it.
The dealer who explains the data is the dealer customers trust with the next deal.
