Automakers Selling Driving Data to Insurance Companies: My Experience as a Reporter and Victim of Spying

Automakers have been selling data about the driving behavior of millions of people to the insurance industry, leading to some drivers being charged more for premiums without their knowledge. One such case involves General Motors, where affected drivers were not informed about the tracking that was happening.

In a recent revelation, a reporter who broke the story discovered that she and her husband were among the drivers whose data was being sold. They purchased a G.M.-manufactured 2023 Chevrolet Bolt in December and later found out that their driving behavior had been tracked without their consent.

The reporter’s husband received detailed reports from data brokers LexisNexis and Verisk, showing information about their driving habits, including distances, times, and driving behaviors such as hard braking and rapid acceleration. Despite not enrolling in any connected services plan or gamified driving program, their data was still being collected and shared with insurance companies.

Many other G.M. owners have come forward with similar accounts, expressing outrage at the lack of transparency and the subsequent increase in insurance rates. Some have even filed federal lawsuits against the automaker for sharing their driving data without explicit consent.

In response to the backlash, General Motors has decided to discontinue the Smart Driver program across all vehicles and unenroll all customers. They have also stopped sharing data with data brokers like LexisNexis and Verisk, giving up millions in annual revenue.

The incident sheds light on the lack of transparency in data collection practices by automakers and the insurance industry. It also raises concerns about privacy and the need for clearer consent processes when it comes to sharing sensitive driving data.