GM agrees California privacy settlement over sale of driver data

General Motors (GM) has agreed to wage $12.75m to settee a California suit alleging it sold OnStar subscribers’ idiosyncratic and driving information without due disclosure oregon consent.

OnStar is GM’s subscription-based offering for in-vehicle information and security.

The suit was brought by the California Attorney General and territory attorneys representing Los Angeles, Napa, San Francisco and Sonoma counties, with enactment from the California Privacy Protection Agency.

Authorities alleged that betwixt 2016 and 2024, GM gathered operator and vehicle-related information from hundreds of thousands of California OnStar subscribers.

The accusation allegedly included names, telephone numbers, location addresses, conveyance speeds, accelerated acceleration and hard braking events, alongside GPS determination information showing wherever customers drove and parked.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said: “This colony makes wide that car companies cannot secretly velocity disconnected with your idiosyncratic information for profit.

“Consumers person a cardinal privateness close to power their idiosyncratic information, and this close does not halt astatine a car door. We admit the California Attorney General, the California Privacy Protection Agency and our spouse District Attorneys for holding companies who bash concern successful California accountable.”

According to the complaint, GM had told subscribers their information would lone enactment OnStar services, including exigency response, navigation and operator coaching.

The institution besides allegedly stated it did not merchantability driving oregon determination information, the property connection added.

However, from 2020 onwards, GM allegedly sold the information to LexisNexis Risk Solutions and Verisk Analytics without sufficiently disclosing the signifier oregon allowing customers to opt out.

The suit stated GM generated astir $20m nationwide from the information income arrangement.

Under the projected settlement, which inactive requires tribunal approval, GM volition wage $12.75m successful civilian penalties and undertake respective corrective measures affecting California OnStar customers.

The statement includes a five-year prohibition connected selling driving information to user reporting agencies, including LexisNexis and Verisk.

GM indispensable besides delete retained driving information wrong 180 days, but wherever constricted interior uses use and consumers person provided explicit consent.

In addition, the institution indispensable inquire LexisNexis and Verisk to erase immoderate driving information they possess.

The colony further requires GM to found a privateness programme aimed astatine identifying, reducing and documenting risks linked to OnStar information postulation practices and ensuring compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act.