If you subscribe to the idea that Big Brother is watching you, you'll be intrigued to hear about the General Motors data privacy scandal. Here, the state of California recently announced a $12.75 million settlement with GM over allegations that the company sold the location and driving behavior data of thousands of Californians without proper disclosure or consent. This release of detailed personal information to data brokers has become the largest California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) penalty in state history. And while it's also the first state DOJ action enforcing the CCPA's new data minimization principle, it squarely centers on the very definition of a modern motor car. It clearly underlines the fact that modern cars “know” where people live and work, if they often drive late at night, or where they park when their trip ends. It also tells us that a modern-day car or truck is more of a rolling sensor platform than anything else. The Scandal Started With A Feature That Sounded Helpful | 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV | | |---|---| | Motor | Single electric motor | | Transmission | Single-speed direct drive | | Drivetrain | Front-wheel drive | | Power | 200 hp | | Torque | 266 lb.-ft | OnStar is probably the most well-known connected car service in the industry, with a good reputation and a value proposition that’s fairly easy to understand. It can summon assistance in the event of a crash, support navigation, provide vehicle information, and make the car feel intrinsically connected to the outside world. But the fact that the system correlates and transfers that information is at the heart of this data pipeline story. California complained that GM was not only collecting and retaining driver-related information through the OnStar system but was then selling the names, contact