A study by Northeastern University and Consumer Reports found that most modern vehicles and their companion apps share substantial amounts of data with third parties, including major technology companies. Researchers found that 19 of 21 vehicles tested sent data to external companies.
Companion apps often doubled owners’ exposure to advertising and tracking services. Several General Motors and Honda apps allegedly sent sensitive information—including vehicle identification numbers (VINs), phone numbers and precise location data—to third-party advertising networks.
The study found that Tesla and General Motors vehicles shared data at particularly high rates. The most common recipients included Alphabet, Amazon, Meta and Microsoft.
After the report, Honda reportedly updated its practices to stop sending precise geolocation data to a third party associated with tracking.