Vehicle Companion Apps Increased Data Tracking Risks
New research shows connecting your car app doubles exposure to third-party advertisers and tracking companies.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Car Types
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Do you trust that your vehicle manufacturer keeps your driving and location data private?
A study from Northeastern University and Consumer Reports found that most modern vehicles and their companion apps share sensitive user data with third-party advertising companies. Pairing a mobile app with your car can effectively double your exposure to digital tracking.
Why it matters
Automakers and their third-party vendors build detailed consumer profiles using vehicle location and identification data to fuel targeted advertising. This practice often occurs through web-tracking tools hidden inside the apps you use to manage your vehicle features.
Researchers analyzed 21 late-model vehicles from 17 automakers and 30 companion apps. They found data shared with companies like Google, Meta, and Adobe, with Honda explicitly ordering vendor Amplitude to delete collected geolocation data.
The players
Northeastern University
A research institution that led the collaborative study investigating the data privacy practices of major automotive manufacturers.
Consumer Reports
A consumer advocacy organization that tests products and investigates corporate data practices to help homeowners make informed purchase decisions.
Honda
A global vehicle manufacturer that has begun adjusting its data collection policies by ordering the deletion of user geolocation data from vendors.
The details
Vehicles utilize integrated WiFi and GPS systems to gather user information. Companion mobile apps further increase this risk by opening external webpages that deploy cookies to harvest customer data. This information, which includes emails and vehicle identification numbers, is then relayed to tech companies like Microsoft, Yahoo, and Snap to develop consumer profiles.
Timeline
September 2026: The research study findings were officially published.
The Home Front
The growing integration of digital tracking into vehicle ecosystems follows broader trends in consumer product connectivity monetization. This study underscores a significant shift where automobile data collection now mirrors the aggressive privacy practices of standard mobile app markets.
Review the privacy permissions in your vehicle's companion app to limit data access where possible. Consider whether the convenience of remote features outweighs the privacy trade-off of sharing your geolocation and identification data with third-party advertisers.
The takeaway
Connecting a smartphone app to your car frequently doubles the amount of data shared with third-party advertisers. Check your app's privacy settings today to see which permissions you can safely revoke without impacting basic vehicle functionality.
Further reading
For more on how vehicle software impacts your ownership experience, visit Car Types.
Live Poll
Do you trust that your vehicle manufacturer keeps your driving and location data private?
