By Mike DuBose
In our last article, we outlined how modern cars, and other innocent home appliances, are conducting surveillance on us. We referred to our automobiles as computers on wheels but they’re also called privacy nightmares.
Hundreds of sensors, cameras, and microphones are recording human interactions and car’s activities without our knowledge or permission. Captured information based on your driving habits is transmitted to manufacturers through cellphone towers and satellites which hackers can intercept. It’s a legal, profitable partnership between some auto manufacturers, dealers, advertisers, data brokers, sales reps, and other corporations. They, in turn, extract, analyze, and sell you to anyone desiring to peer into your lives. Research indicates that so many hands are in the shared data pot, it’s impossible to determine who receives all your information. No wonder we end up with hundreds of unwanted advertisements and solicitations each week that have been customized to our particular interests and lifestyles.
Automobile insurance companies can review your claims history using the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) database. Modern cars have black boxes, similar to airplanes, known as Event Data Recorders. They aren’t accessible to outsiders and only maintain 30 days of events. They require special technical expertise to extract and review data unless approved by car owners or court orders. These are separate, protected systems from data sharing apps. It’s helpful to law enforcement and lawyers for accident investigations or lawsuits.
So, how do you prevent legal thieves using our automobiles as their eyes and ears? From traveling deep into your personal lives? If you own vehicles manufactured before 2012, when Auto-WIFI appeared, no worries. For those vulnerable car owners created after that year, consider the following:
- If you buy new or modern used cars, decline dealer’s efforts to download manufacturer’s apps on your behalf, set up Bluetooth on cars, or give you an electronic tour. Instead, ask which app to download (see pictures since many look similar) and install for yourself later. Don’t give your cellphone and passwords to sales reps and carefully read privacy statements. I was impressed that Toyota allowed me to accept or deny certain privacy sections, while being disappointed with Ford-Lincoln.
- I like Bluetooth so I’m able to drive while communicating handsfree. However, once you connect cellphones to your car, information may be uploaded to manufacturers.
- Check owner’s manuals and apps in sections labeled “Privacy Settings.” They include how to locate and turn off unwanted privacy access and outline ways to contact manufacturers. Examine lengthy privacy statements that bury confusing legalese. Look for words like, sell, share, third-parties, Insure Connect, data privacy, driver feedback, driver’s score, discount, driver data, smart driver, drive safe, and other deceptive language that can lure you into engaging with legal stealth data theft. However, be careful not to decline or avoid installing certain parts of the apps since your efforts may cancel important, desired features. These include emergency accident SOS services, towing help, navigation, and vehicle health (tire pressure, maintenance reminders, recalls, etc.). Most apps issue warnings with explanations of the consequences if you’re about to decline any critical services.
- Be hesitant about insurance companies’ offer to install apps or connect 2” devices (called dongles) in your glove compartment or computer ports to monitor driving habits for alleged discounts. My independent agent reported several regional insurance agencies were invited to experiment in the monitoring program that marketed policy discounts. Their staff performed poorly using these devices. Consumer Reports noted, “Because driver monitoring is a way for insurance companies to track how you use your car in order to more accurately calculate your annual premium, the data can also be used to raise your rate if they don’t like what they see.”
- Visit www.VehiclePrivacyReport.com and type in your VIN number located on car’s registration card or front-driver’s side of the lower-windshield. This website provides free reports regarding information manufacturers collect from your vehicle. Good stuff.
- Contact companies that may partner with automobile manufactures. Kashmir Hill published a 2024 New York Times article that announced, “LexisNexis is a New York-based global data broker with a ‘Risk Solutions’ division that caters to the auto insurance industry and has traditionally kept tabs on car accidents and tickets.” According to www.autoinsurance.org many insurance carriers use this company. For your detailed report, go to https://consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com/request and complete their simple On-line Request Form. After receiving my results, it was surprising how much they knew about me. The second data sharing company mentioned in the 2024 media was Verisk. However, their website currently reports, “Verisk no longer receives driving behavior data from automakers to generate Driving Behavior Data History Reports” A third company is High Mobility. When we accessed their website, https://www.high-mobility.com/car-api the following statement appeared, “High Mobility’s connected car API allows your mobility service to get data access clearances and receive real-time updates from millions of cars from OEMs.” They did mention following strict European data guidelines.
The Bottom Line: Privacy laws sounded good when they were initially approved by Congress but they have become a pain for businesses and consumers who rarely read them. Unfortunately, we often sign away our rights to share or sell sensitive, private information with them and other third parties. Data-sharing can spike your insurance premiums so use caution on your privacy-protection journey. However, while it takes time to examine all of your privacy content, your investigative efforts may be a worthwhile investment. To read our entire stunning article, visit www.mikedubose.com/carspies
Mike voluntarily authors these articles for 5 newspapers to fulfill his purpose “Creating opportunities to improve lives.” Visit his nonprofit website www.mikedubose.com and register to receive his monthly articles or Daily Thoughts plus free access to his books, including “The Art of Building Great Businesses.” The website includes 100+ published articles he has written on business, travel, and personal topics, in addition to health research with Surb Guram, MD, Allison Cashman, MD, and David Hurst, DMV.
