{
  "id": 13823870,
  "title": "Cars and their apps are sending drivers' personal data to advertising companies",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/cars-and-their-apps-are-sending-drivers-personal-data-to-advertising",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-11T23:26:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dev.to",
    "slug": "dev-to",
    "url": "https://dev.to/hacksgr/cars-and-their-apps-are-sending-drivers-personal-data-to-advertising-companies-bkl"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A research study examining data transmission from 21 vehicles and 30 manufacturer apps has uncovered numerous instances of personal information being sent to advertising companies. Conducted between October 2024 and August 2025, the study detailed how vehicle identifiers and location telemetry were being shared. Among the 21 cars, 19 transmitted data to at least one external entity through wireless connections. Similarly, 28 of the 30 apps communicated with at least one advertising or analytics company. Seven particular apps were found to be transmitting sensitive data, including email addresses, precise locations, and unique vehicle identification numbers, to advertising entities. Four of these apps were developed by General Motors - myCadillac, myChevrolet, myBuick, and myGMC. General Motors has already been mandated by the United States Federal Trade Commission to refrain from selling driver data for five years due to this issue. Other affected apps include HondaLink, Lincoln, and Nissan apps. Unlike cell phone settings, vehicle identification numbers cannot be changed, allowing advertisers to link owners to their activities across various platforms. General Motors, Honda, Lincoln, and Nissan responded that their data flow adheres to the contracts they signed with partners. Five manufacturers attributed the tracking to websites within the applications, while seven apps disclosed they might transfer data to third parties without specifying the companies or reasons. Tesla and Rivian warn that refusing data collection will limit essential services like navigation and system updates. Honda is the only company to address the issue by instructing analytics firm Amplitude to delete location data and updating the app to cease transmission.",
  "summary": "A study analyzing network traffic from 21 connected vehicles and 30 manufacturer apps reveals widespread data transmission to third-party ad-tech companies, exposing how vehicle identifiers and location telemetry are handled. What data do vehicles and apps collect? The study, conducted between October 2024 and August 2025, uncovered information-sharing practices from users' vehicles and mobile…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}