Motorists ‘unaware’ of what data their cars are collecting

Most car owners are unaware of the personal data their cars are collecting about them, with experts now warning drivers to clue up on how to protect their privacy.

Analysis by Uswitch suggests that 72% of motorists are unaware cars can collect information on their driving schedules while 44% don't realise their live location can be tracked and stored.

That’s probably because just 28% read the terms and conditions around their car’s data collection capabilities and barely 1 in 5 actively research data protection when buying their vehicle.

Most telling of all, 68% of UK motorists are unaware that car manufacturers could have access to their personal data and share it with third parties.

These organisations can include advertising companies, data brokers, dealers, insurance companies and even law enforcement.

While 63% of motorists say they would be happy to share data if it helped make safety improvements, the sheer lack of awareness means many are making uninformed decisions when using modern tech features.

"Certain sensors and systems that collect data are essential for your car’s functionality," says Uswitch car insurance expert Leoni Moninska.

"However, there are some features you can turn off for privacy protection. For example, if you don’t need the GPS on routine journeys, turn it off. If you’re concerned about your car collecting data from your phone, don’t connect to Apple CarPlay, Android Auto or Bluetooth," she adds.

If motorists still want the backup of a connected phone in emergencies, they can choose to decline access to certain data, such as contacts or text messages. Moninska also advises drivers worried about data privacy to use associated apps with caution.

"Installing mobile apps associated with your car can be a gateway to information stored on your phone, giving car manufacturers or third parties access to even more data."

Uswitch says that to limit this, you can check and alter the app permissions – for example, deny it access to your microphone or camera. You can also ask the app not to track, preventing it from tracking you across other apps and websites.

There should also be data sharing options in the app’s settings, where you can opt out of sharing your data with third parties.

With the rise of modern internet-enabled cars and associated technology, data collection, sharing and privacy is set to be an increasingly important topic as awareness of the information being gathered by modern cars grows.