Free privacy tool to see what data your CAR collects about you

technique

For Kim Komando

May 13, 2023 | 12:30 p.m

New cars are computers on wheels.

The average vehicle today has passed 1,400 microchips in him

Because your car is connected, it can also collect a lot of data about you.

Your car is like your phone, computer or tablet now, always listening. Here’s how to stop Big Tech from listening.

There are also bullying products to worry about. Take steps to detect and block these dangerous spyware apps.

What does your vehicle collect? A new online tool shows all the information your car has about you.

What do they want to know?

The vehicle privacy report is made by a company called Privacy4Cars.

The company removes synced personal data from used cars before they are resold.

This is how car manufacturers comply with privacy laws.

There is a way you can leverage your work.

All you have to do is enter your car’s VIN and the tool spits out all the privacy policies about the company that built your vehicle.

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Here’s what you can find when you plug in your VIN:

• Details such as your name, address, email address and driving license number.
• Location data that shows where you are and where you’ve been.
• Biometrics are collected using the car’s microphone and camera.
• Voice recordings are collected by the car’s voice assistant.
• Data is synced from connected devices, such as call logs, text messages, or contacts.

The tool also lists who your information is shared with: think insurance companies, the government, and data brokers.

If you’re using GPS, asking for directions, or making calls via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, chances are your car has a lot more dirt on it.

Shameless: Automakers are charging subscriptions for a lifesaving feature

The full summary

One of my team members drives a Kia.

The vehicle privacy report returned a full summary of the car.

Kia uses the information it collects to predict your “preferences, characteristics, predispositions, behavior, attitudes, or similar behavioral information.”

The Korean automaker also shares and sells this information to its parent companies, subsidiaries and sister companies and service providers (analytics partners, advertising agencies and social networks).

They will also share your information at the request of the government. You can delete all this data from your car.

Do you want to delete your car’s tracking data?

Privacy4Cars has a free app for iOS and Android that removes your personal information from the vehicles you drive or are connected to.

This includes your phone book, call logs, text messages, browsing history, home address, garage door codes, passwords, biometrics and vehicle credentials.

The app includes step-by-step visual instructions and makes it easy for you to delete your personal information.

Use Privacy4Cars after every rental and rideshare before you sell, trade in or trade in your vehicle.