Which cars are collecting your data and why

How much information does your car have on you? Many cars today are being made with cameras and wireless data connections making it easier for automakers to collect data. Consumer Reports, a non-profit organization that works to promote fairness in the marketplace, said the more high tech a car is, the more data is collected.

Posted 10:29 p.m. Jun 11, 2018 — Updated 11:02 p.m. Jun 11, 2018

Monica Laliberte

, WRAL consumer reporter

RALEIGH, N.C. — How much information does your car have on you?

Many cars today are being made with cameras and wireless data connections, making it easier for automakers to collect data. \Consumer Reports, a non-profit organization that works to promote fairness in the marketplace, said the more high-tech a car is, the more data is collected.

For cars made in 2018, Consumer Reports found 32 out of 44 brands offer some kind of wireless data connection. Cars with wireless connections are usually popular because of their convenient features that make the drive better.

Most new cars are equipped with cameras that usually face outside, but the new Tesla Model 3 has an inside-facing camera.

"The manual says the camera is not turned on right now, but it could be used in potential future features," said Jake Fisher, director of auto testing at Consumer Reports. "Tesla promises that it will let customers know before they turn the camera on."

General Motor's 2018 Cadillac CT6 with super cruise also has an internal camera mounted on the steering column. It monitors the driver for signs of distraction, but GM said it does not capture or store video.

With cameras and sensors, cars can collect details about driving habits. Automakers often gather information about drivers, including the roads they take and the way they drive. Fisher said this data is used by automakers for future car innovation.

"A lot of data is being collected to help automakers prepare for self-driving cars. It's a machine learning-process," Fisher said. "They're using your data to map the roads and better understand how vehicles and people are going to react on those roads."

Laws and regulations protecting the consumer are murky and outdated.The 2015 Driver Privacy Protection Act says information about a crash belongs to the owner, not the car company. But with new technological developments, crash information just a very small fraction of data cars generate.

The auto industry has voluntary guidelines about privacy, but Consumers Union, Consumer Report's advocacy arm, wants more regulation and greater transparency. They want car companies to be upfront about the information they're collecting.

"Consumers shouldn't be put in a position where they have to search for what information is being gathered about them, how it's being gather and what it's being used for," Fisher said.

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