How to find out if your car is collecting your personal information
New cars are computers on wheels.
The average vehicle nowadays has over 1,400 microchips in it.
Because your car is connected, it can also collect a lot of data about you.
Your car is like your phone, computer, or tablet now — always listening. Here’s how to stop Big Tech from listening in.
There’s also stalkerware to worry about. Take steps to spot and block these dangerous spy apps.
What is your vehicle collecting? A new online tool shows all the info your car has on you.
What do they want to know?
The Vehicle Privacy Report is made by a company called Privacy4Cars.
If your car is connected, there can be dangerous spy apps collecting data about you. AFP via Getty Images
If your car is connected, there can be dangerous spy apps collecting data about you. NurPhoto via Getty Images
The company deletes synched personal data from used cars before they’re resold.
This is how carmakers comply with privacy laws.
There’s a way you can tap into their work.
All you have to do is enter your car’s VIN, and the tool spits out all the privacy policies about the company that built your vehicle.
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Here’s what you may find when you plug in your VIN:
Details like your name, address, email address, and driver’s license number.
Location data that shows where you are and where you went.
Biometrics are collected by your car’s microphone and camera.
Voice recordings are collected by your car’s voice assistant.
Data is synced from your connected devices, like call records, text messages, or contacts.
The tool also lists who your information is shared with — think insurance companies, the government, and data brokers.
Privacy4Cars is a company that deletes synched personal data from used cars before they’re resold. Gado via Getty Images
If you use GPS, ask for directions, or make calls via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, your car probably has much more dirt on you.
No shame: Carmakers are charging subscriptions for a lifesaving feature
The full rundown
One of my team members drives a Kia.
The Vehicle Privacy Report returned a complete rundown of the car.
Kia uses the information it collects to predict your “preferences, characteristics, predispositions, behavior, attitudes, or similar behavioral information.”
If you use GPS, ask for directions, or use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, your car probably has data on you. NurPhoto via Getty Images
The Korean carmaker also shares and sells that info to its parent companies, subsidiaries and sister companies, and service providers (analytics partners, advertising agencies, and social networks).
They’ll also share your information at the government’s request. You can delete all that data from your car.
Want to delete tracking data from your car?
Privacy4Cars has a free iOS and Android app that deletes your personal information from vehicles you drive or are connected to.
This includes your phone book, call logs, text messages, navigation history, home address, garage door codes, passwords, biometrics, and vehicle credentials.
The app includes visual step-by-step instructions and makes it easy for you to remove personal information.
Use Privacy4Cars after every rental and rideshare before selling, turning in, or trading your vehicle.
Source: New York Post
