Overview
- The FTC on January 14 approved a consent order that bars GM and OnStar from sharing precise location and driving‑behavior data with consumer reporting agencies for five years.
- For the next 20 years, GM must obtain express permission from drivers before collecting, using, or sharing connected‑vehicle data.
- GM is required to let U.S. consumers request copies of their data, seek deletion, and disable precise geolocation collection where technology permits.
- Limited exceptions allow sharing location data with emergency responders and using data for internal research, and GM may share de‑identified information with select partners such as the University of Michigan.
- The action follows reporting that Smart Driver collected granular telematics later sold by brokers like LexisNexis and Verisk to insurers; GM ended Smart Driver in April 2024 and says it has already implemented the required privacy changes.