General Motors agreed to a $220 million settlement with 36 states over allegations that connected vehicle data from the Smart Driver feature was shared with data brokers.
Read how the settlement mandates explicit driver consent and third-party privacy compliance audits.
The new agreement and controls
The agreement, announced Thursday, requires the company to seek explicit consent from drivers before collecting or sharing their driving and location data, and an independent third-party agency will review whether General Motors is complying with privacy rules.
What caused the authorities' reaction?
The case concerns the Smart Driver program, a free feature in connected car apps that recorded drivers' behavior and seat belt use. The data ended up with intermediaries and then insurance companies. General Motors had ended the program in 2024, while in January the US Federal Trade Commission finalized a decision prohibiting the company and OnStar from sharing certain consumer data.
What's changing for driver data?
The company announced that it will no longer sell vehicle information that can be linked to specific individuals, their location or driving habits. However, it clarified that it may still share anonymous data, which is not linked to a specific person, with select partners. As part of the changes, General Motors updated its privacy statements and created a consumer privacy center.
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