Ford has pledged not to sell customer driving data to third-party data brokers, seeking to distinguish itself from competitors that have faced legal and regulatory blowback over data sharing. The promise comes after General Motors agreed to pay $220 million to settle claims that it illegally sold driver data, and a Mozilla report that called modern connected cars the worst category of products for privacy ever reviewed.
In a blog post, Ford chief privacy officer Kristin Jones said, “We know that trust is earned.” The company promised to never sell customer driving data to data brokers and to “provide clear and easy-to-understand information” about data use. Ford said it will strive to protect customer data by using aggregating and anonymizing techniques and allow customers to adjust how much data they share, though data will still be used for safety improvements.
The GM settlement requires the company to limit the driving data it collects and obtain express consent from drivers before collecting their information. A recent examination of 21 vehicle brands found that every one transmitted data to at least one third-party domain over Wi-Fi, with over half contacting domains specializing in advertising, tracking or analytics. The Mozilla report found that 92 percent of reviewed automakers provide drivers with little control over their personal data, and 84 percent share data with outside parties.
Ford said its survey of more than 1,000 US customers found that 41 percent of respondents were extremely or very concerned about data privacy in the auto industry, less than the concern for social media companies, the government or financial institutions. Over half of respondents said they understood that some data sharing is okay.
If Ford publicly promises not to sell driving data to brokers but breaks that promise, the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general can step in. However, a blog post is not a legal contract; the official privacy policy and connected vehicle terms contain exceptions for police requests and service providers. Opting out of data sharing may disable features such as built-in navigation, remote start and wireless software updates.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Ford's pledge could set a new industry standard for how automakers handle driving data, but the real protections depend on the fine print of privacy policies.
- The promise highlights the trade-off between privacy and convenience: disabling data sharing may mean losing key features.
- The FTC's ability to enforce such promises adds weight, but exceptions for police and service providers may limit the impact.
Background
Modern vehicles collect vast amounts of data on driving behavior, location and more. Automakers have historically shared this data with third parties for advertising, insurance and analytics. The GM settlement and Mozilla report have brought the issue into the spotlight.
Key Perspectives
Ford: says it will not sell driving data to data brokers and will provide customers with clear information and control over data sharing.
Mozilla: ranked connected cars as the worst product category for privacy, finding that most automakers share data with little user control.
What to Watch
- Whether Ford's privacy policy and data-sharing exceptions become clearer over time.
- How other automakers respond to the promise and whether they adopt similar pledges.
- Potential legal challenges or FTC action if the promise is not upheld.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedFord pledged not to sell driving data after GM’s $220 million privacy settlement.The Verge: “Following GM’s $220 million settlement, Ford promises to never sell customer driving data to data brokers”
- SupportedFord promised not to sell customer driving data to third-party data brokers.The Verge: “Ford vowed to never sell customer driving data to third-party data brokers”
- SupportedGM agreed to pay $220 million to settle claims that it illegally sold driver data.The Verge: “The promise comes in the wake of General Motors agreeing to pay $220 million to settle claims that it illegally sold driver and location information to data brokers.”
- SupportedMozilla called modern connected cars the worst category of products for privacy ever reviewed.The Verge: “In a recent report, Mozilla crowned modern connected cars “the worst category of products for privacy” ever reviewed.”
- SupportedFord chief privacy officer Kristin Jones said, “We know that trust is earned.”The Verge: ““We know that trust is earned,” Kristin Jones, chief privacy officer at Ford, writes in a blog post.”
- SupportedFord said it would let customers adjust how much data they share, while still using data to improve safety.The Verge: “And while Ford says it will still use data to improve safety, it will allow customers to adjust how much or how little data they would prefer to share.”
- SupportedThe GM settlement requires the company to limit the driving data it collects and obtain express consent before collecting drivers’ information.The Verge: “The agreement requires GM to limit the driving data it collects and obtain “express consent” from drivers before collecting their information.”
- SupportedMozilla found that 92 percent of reviewed automakers give drivers little control over their personal data.The Verge: “The global nonprofit found that 92 percent of the reviewed automakers provide drivers with little (if any) control over their personal data”
- SupportedMozilla found that 84 percent of reviewed automakers share user data with outside parties.The Verge: “with 84 percent sharing user data with outside parties.”
- SupportedIf Ford breaks a public promise not to sell driving data to brokers, the FTC and state attorneys general can step in.The Verge: “If Ford publicly promises something like, “We never sell your driving data to brokers” but breaks that promise, the FTC and state attorneys general can step in.”
- SupportedFord’s official privacy policy and connected vehicle terms contain exceptions for police requests and outside service providers.The Verge: “Those legal agreements contain standard exceptions that allow Ford to share your data, such as complying with police requests or working with outside service providers.”
- SupportedOpting out of data sharing may disable features such as built-in navigation, remote start and wireless software updates.The Verge: “While Ford states that data collection depends on the features you want to use, turning off vehicle tracking or location sharing often disables key features like built-in navigation, remote start, and wireless software updates.”
