How to Opt Out of Connected Car Data Sharing

Your car is watching you. An estimated 90% of new cars now collect detailed driving information -- where you go, how fast you drive, how hard you brake, and much more. Even more alarming, 84% of car companies sell or share this data with third parties, including insurance companies that use it to raise your premiums. Here is how to opt out of connected car data sharing for every major manufacturer, and what you can do about data that has already been collected.

How Your Car Collects and Shares Your Data

Modern connected cars are equipped with sensors, GPS modules, cellular connections, and onboard computers that continuously record your driving behavior. This data typically includes:

• Location and trip history: GPS coordinates, routes traveled, destinations, time of arrival and departure
• Driving behavior: Speed, acceleration, hard braking events, cornering, seatbelt usage
• Vehicle diagnostics: Engine performance, tire pressure, battery status, maintenance alerts
• Infotainment data: Contacts synced from your phone, call logs, text messages, music preferences, voice commands
• Connected service usage: App interactions, remote start usage, navigation requests

This data does not stay with the manufacturer. It flows through a network of intermediaries -- telematics data exchanges, analytics companies, and data brokers -- before reaching insurance companies, advertisers, and other buyers. Companies like LexisNexis and Verisk operate telematics data exchanges that receive driving data directly from automakers and package it for insurers.

GM: OnStar Smart Driver (Now Discontinued)

In a significant win for consumer privacy, General Motors ended its OnStar Smart Driver data collection program in late June 2026 following sustained public backlash and FTC scrutiny. The program had been sharing detailed driving behavior data with LexisNexis and Verisk, which then sold it to insurance companies. Many GM owners were enrolled without clear understanding of what data was being shared.

Even though Smart Driver has been discontinued, if you own a GM vehicle, you should still take these steps:

1. Log into your myGM or OnStar account at my.gm.com
2. Navigate to Connected Services settings and review all active data-sharing options
3. Disable any remaining connected services that you do not actively use
4. Contact OnStar directly at 1-888-466-7827 to confirm that your historical driving data has been deleted and that no data-sharing programs remain active on your account
5. Request a copy of your data to verify what information GM holds about you

GM's reversal on Smart Driver demonstrates that consumer pressure works -- but it does not undo the months or years of data that was already shared with insurers and brokers before the program ended.

Ford: How to Disable Data Sharing

Ford vehicles with connected services share driving data through the FordPass app and the vehicle's built-in modem. Here is how to turn it off:

1. In your vehicle: Go to Settings > Connectivity > Connected Vehicle Features
2. Toggle off "Share Vehicle Data" to stop transmitting driving behavior data to Ford's servers
3. In the FordPass app: Open the app, go to your vehicle settings, and review all connected services. Disable any features you do not use.
4. Contact Ford directly: Call Ford Customer Service at 1-800-392-3673 to request deletion of previously collected driving data

Be aware that disabling connected vehicle features may affect certain functionality, including remote start, vehicle health alerts, and over-the-air software updates. However, the core driving functions of your vehicle will not be affected.

Toyota: How to Deactivate Connected Services

Toyota's connected services collect driving data through the vehicle's Data Communication Module (DCM). Toyota also operates Connected Analytic Services, an affiliate company that has been identified as selling driving data to insurers. Here is how to opt out:

1. Contact Toyota via the SOS button: Press the SOS button in your vehicle (without an emergency) and request to speak with a representative about deactivating Connected Services
2. Use the Toyota App: Open the Toyota app (or Lexus app for Lexus vehicles), navigate to your vehicle settings, and look for connected services options
3. Call Toyota Customer Service: Call 1-800-331-4331 and request deactivation of all connected data services and deletion of your collected driving data
4. Send a written request: For a documented paper trail, mail your deactivation request to Toyota Motor North America, P.O. Box 259001, Plano, TX 75025

Pay particular attention to Toyota's Connected Analytic Services. Even if you deactivate the primary connected services, you should explicitly ask Toyota to confirm that your data is not being shared through this affiliate with insurance companies or data aggregators.

Honda: How to Deactivate Data Collection

Honda collects driving data through its HondaLink and Acura connected services platforms. The opt-out process requires direct contact:

1. Contact Honda directly: Call Honda Customer Service at 1-800-999-1009 and request deactivation of connected vehicle data collection
2. Use in-vehicle settings: On newer Honda models, navigate to Settings > System > Connected Vehicle and disable data sharing options
3. Use the HondaLink app: Open the app, go to account settings, and disable data-sharing preferences
4. Request data deletion: Ask Honda to delete any previously collected driving behavior data from their systems

Honda has been less transparent than some competitors about exactly what data is collected and who receives it. When you contact them, ask specifically whether your data has been shared with any third-party analytics companies, insurers, or data brokers.

Other Major Manufacturers

Hyundai / Kia

Contact Hyundai Customer Care at 1-855-371-9460 or Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Request deactivation of Bluelink (Hyundai) or Kia Connect services and deletion of collected driving data. Review connected services settings in the vehicle's infotainment system.

Subaru

Contact Subaru Starlink Customer Service at 1-855-753-2495. Request deactivation of Starlink Connected Services and deletion of telematics data. In-vehicle settings may also allow you to disable some data-sharing features.

Stellantis (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram)

Contact Uconnect Customer Care at 1-800-981-8782. Request deactivation of connected services and deletion of driving data. Review Uconnect settings in the vehicle's infotainment system.

What to Do About Data Already Shared

Opting out of connected car data sharing stops future collection, but it does not recall data that has already been shared with insurance companies, data brokers, and analytics firms. Here is how to address that:

Check Your LexisNexis Consumer Disclosure Report

LexisNexis is one of the largest recipients of connected car data. You can request a free copy of your Consumer Disclosure Report at consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com. This report shows what driving data, insurance claims, and personal information LexisNexis has on file. If you find inaccurate information, you have the right to dispute it.

Check Your Verisk Driving History Report

Verisk (through its A-BEST service) also receives connected car telematics data. Request your report to see what driving behavior data has been compiled about you and whether it has been shared with insurers.

Remove Your Data from Data Brokers

Connected car data flows into the broader data broker ecosystem, where it combines with your other personal information -- home address, phone number, financial records -- to create detailed profiles. PrivacyOn removes your personal information from 100+ data broker sites, including brokers that receive and aggregate automotive and telematics data. With continuous 24/7 monitoring, PrivacyOn ensures that when your data reappears on broker sites, it gets removed again automatically.

Legal Protections and Your Rights

Consumer protections around connected car data are still catching up to the technology:

• California: The CCPA/CPRA gives California residents the right to know what data has been collected, request deletion, and opt out of data sales. This applies to automaker data collection.
• Other state privacy laws: More than 20 states now have comprehensive privacy laws that may give you similar rights depending on where you live.
• FTC enforcement: The FTC has taken an active interest in connected car data practices, and its scrutiny of GM's OnStar Smart Driver program was a key factor in the program's discontinuation.
• Federal legislation: The Consumer Data Privacy and Security Act (S.4211), currently in committee, would establish national standards that cover connected car data collection.

Practical Privacy Tips for Car Owners

• Read the privacy policy before buying: Check the manufacturer's data collection practices before purchasing a new vehicle. Some brands are significantly less invasive than others.
• Do not sync your phone: Avoid connecting your phone via Bluetooth or USB to the vehicle's infotainment system. If you do, your contacts, call logs, and messages may be stored in the car's memory.
• Factory reset before selling: If you sell or trade in your vehicle, perform a factory reset on the infotainment system to erase your personal data, and remove the vehicle from your manufacturer account.
• Decline optional telematics programs: When purchasing or servicing your vehicle, decline any optional driving behavior programs, "safe driver" discounts tied to data sharing, or connected service trials.
• Review your insurance policy: Ask your insurer directly whether they use telematics data in your premium calculations and whether you can opt out.

The Bottom Line

Connected cars collect an unprecedented amount of personal data, and most of it is being shared with insurance companies and data brokers without meaningful consumer consent. The good news is that you can take steps to stop it: disable data sharing through your vehicle's settings, contact the manufacturer to deactivate connected services, and use PrivacyOn to remove your personal information from the data brokers that receive and aggregate automotive telematics data. GM's decision to end the OnStar Smart Driver program shows that the tide is turning -- but until every manufacturer follows suit, the responsibility to protect your driving data falls on you.