Automakers Risked Driver Privacy For Pennies Per Car

The Driver Data BusinessAutomakers have long sold driver data to third parties for profit, though the practice has only recently come under greater scrutiny through lawsuits involving brands such as Toyota and General Motors. But it appears the approach may not continue, not only because of regulatory hurdles and growing backlash, but also since automakers are barely making meaningful profits from it anyway.For those hearing this for the first time, automakers argue that subscribing to their connected services means agreeing to the terms and conditions, which may include the sale or sharing of user data. Connected services include features such as navigation, location tracking, and vehicle diagnostics, all of which need data to function. That d …