Automakers Sold Driver Data to Third Parties Including Data Brokers, Senators Say

The customer data were sold for just a few cents per car, which the senators said was ‘particularly insulting.’
Automakers Sold Driver Data to Third Parties Including Data Brokers, Senators Say
GMC Hummer EVs at General Motors' Factory ZERO electric vehicle assembly plant in Detroit on Nov. 17, 2021. Nic Antaya/Getty Images
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Automakers are sharing “millions of Americans’ driving data” with data brokers without their consent, according to a letter sent by lawmakers to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that called for an investigation into the matter.

The July 26 letter from Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) pointed to an investigation conducted by Wyden’s office of three auto manufacturers—General Motors (GM), Honda, and Hyundai. The firms were found to have shared driver data such as acceleration and braking info to data broker Verisk Analytics, which has clients in sectors such as insurance.
Naveen Athrappully
Naveen Athrappully
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Naveen Athrappully is a news reporter covering business and world events at The Epoch Times.