Overview
- A coalition of 36 states and the District of Columbia reached a $220 million settlement with General Motors on October 29, 2026 resolving claims that the automaker sold detailed driving and location data from its Smart Driver program.
- State investigators say GM shared trip times, hard braking, rapid acceleration and precise location with data brokers that then sold or supplied the information to insurers, and some drivers saw higher premiums as a result.
- Most Smart Driver enrollments occurred at dealerships through a bundled OnStar sign-up process, and investigators found that sales staff sometimes accepted terms on customers’ behalf without clear permission.
- The settlement forces GM to obtain drivers’ affirmative express consent before collecting or disclosing covered driver data, to limit the types of driving data it gathers, to implement a comprehensive privacy program and to undergo internal and independent privacy assessments.
- The $220 million will be distributed to participating states rather than directly to consumers, GM denies admitting liability as part of the agreement, and the deal builds on earlier enforcement including an FTC order and a 2026 California settlement that tightened rules on vehicle data use.