Automakers routinely share personally identifiable connected-car data with third parties, report says

Northeastern University academics and the nonprofit Consumer Reports unveiled the findings Tuesday, revealing that 19 of 21 major auto manufacturers studied collect and broadly disseminate customers’ private data.

Twenty-eight of 30 car connected apps shared data with at least one third-party advertising or analytics firm, the report said.

“As such, the companies that collect driver data are often the first node in a vast personal data ecosystem.”

As a result, the release said, the web pages can collect consumer data, typically without the driver knowing.

Many automakers also told Consumer Reports that some of the third-party companies the data is fed to are barred from “independently using or selling” it.