Car is a smartphone on wheels. Here's who's listening
Researchers from Northeastern University and Consumer Reports analyzed the privacy implications of connected vehicles, finding that most modern cars collect and share significant amounts of consumer data. The study highlights a lack of transparency and control for vehicle owners regarding their personal information.
Why it matters
As vehicles become increasingly digitized, the privacy risks associated with constant data transmission to manufacturers and third parties are becoming a major consumer protection issue.
The first large-scale measurement study of the connected-vehicle ecosystem.
A connected car is a vehicle with built-in internet access — Wi-Fi, cellular, GPS — that lets it communicate constantly with its manufacturer and outside companies. Over 75% of vehicles sold globally have this connectity built-in.
Partnering with Consumer Reports, we tested 21 late model vehicles and 30 companion mobile apps to understand the privacy implications of the connected vehicle ecosystem.
We go through a lengthy disclosure process and provide insight into how manufacturer's perceive this data sharing issue. Our findings underscore the need for continued measurement and scrutiny of the connected vehicle ecosystem.
Consumer Reports gave the team access to its purchased fleet of test vehicles — a sample that would have cost over $1.2M to assemble independently. Read CR's article on our work!
This work is peer reviewed and will be published at IMC '26. Read the paper →
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