Your car is following you – how to reclaim your data privacy on the open road
Your car is following you – how to reclaim your data privacy on the open road
https://www.zdnet.com/article/your-car-is-following-you-how-to-reclaim-data-privacy/
Publish Date: 2026-06-02 12:43:00
Source Domain: www.zdnet.com
Artie Beaty/ZDNET
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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Today’s vehicles know where you live, when you travel, and your driving habits.
- We can lock down our PCs and smartphones, but it’s harder to stop our cars from sharing data.
- See what information is being collected and how you can reduce the flow.
Many adults look forward to passing their driving test and purchasing their first car. For most of us, a car provides freedom: the ability to go anywhere we please, at any time, without relying on public transport.
However, cars from a decade or more ago are vastly different from vehicles on the market today. If you can afford to buy a newer model, you’re buying into far more than wheels and an engine. Today’s vehicles rely heavily on computers, sensors, satellite communications, mobile technology, the cloud, and systems that not only monitor the vehicle’s health but can also monitor you.
Also: How to delete or hide yourself from the internet – 11 effective ways (and most are free)
There’s no shortage of media coverage about all the personal data being collected from our PCs, smartphones, browsers, and social media platforms. But have you ever considered the information your car collects and what happens to it?
Here’s what you should know in 2026, and what you can do to reduce the flow of information from your vehicle to third parties.
Modern smart car technologies
I had a blast turning my first vehicle — a 2007 Mercedes — into a smart car with a range of accessories, including a portable Android infotainment dashboard, satnav, installable reverse camera, and 12v port expanders.
Eventually, I upgraded to a newer Volkswagen, and it really hit home how much technology has changed over the past few years.
Also: Want to know which sites are selling your data? This free privacy tool gave me answers
Technologies that represent luxury, convenience, and comfort are key selling points for new cars, but are we giving away our personal…
