Elon Musk called the Tesla a “sophisticated computer on wheels,” per the Los Angeles Times. While these computers on wheels have autopilot settings and Wi-Fi, according to Business Insider, they are also capable of massive, detailed data extraction — and it’s not just Tesla.
The Mozilla Foundation researched and tested 25 different car brands and concluded that all of them have the ability to collect intimate information about the driver.
The foundation found that car manufacturers collect “your medical information, your genetic information,” information on your “sex life,” “how fast you drive, where you drive, and what songs you play in your car.” Further, the information is collected on a massive scale, which is then used “to invent more data about you through ‘inferences’ about things like your intelligence, abilities, and interests.”
McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm, estimated that “a connected car generates around 25 GB of data every hour,” per eInfochips.
Some of this data is simply collected to enhance car performance and to help manufacturers design and produce better, more efficient cars in the future. eInfochips lists three ways “Big Data” helps improve cars:
- Pushing timely OTA updates: Car software requires updates just like phones and computers do. Statista estimated that 90% of American cars manufactured in 2023 have built-in internet access. In cars with wireless connection capabilities, these updates are delivered promptly and include software enhancements, bug fixes and security patches.
- Maintaining the vehicle: Machine Learning models track data from the engine, battery, brakes and more, and sends it to the manufacturer to be analyzed. Analysis on real automotive function allows the manufacturer to design better cars.
- Avoiding accidents and improved security: Many cars have the ability to communicate with each other, assisting drivers in difficult weather or situations. For example, if a driver loses control of his vehicle, the sensors will send an alert to any cars in proximity.
The Mozilla Foundation lists 165 other things that car manufacturers can collect about drivers from sensors in cars. This is a sample from that list:
- Name.
- Address.
- Phone number.
- Payment information.
- Social security number.
- Sex life.
- Sexual orientation information.
- Health diagnosis.
- Genetic information.
- Behavioral characteristics.
- Fingerprints.
- Voiceprints.
- Religion/creed.
Technology allowing cars to record EKGs through certain sensors was developed in 2008 and one particular study was done by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Evidence of enormous advancements in similar biotechnology is found in the Journal of Big Data’s article, “Who is behind the wheel? Driver identification and fingerprinting.”
This article argues for complete driver identification through “time-optimized driver fingerprinting” by establishing the need for “driver authentication” and optimized vehicle performance.
The article says, “Most cars now have over 400 sensors built into them, capturing data every few milliseconds about steering wheel movement, tire pressure, driver actions, speed, GPS position, car wear and tear, and more.”
On Nissan’s “Privacy Notice” page, updated on July 1, it establishes that data is collected “from connected vehicles.” Further down, Nissan includes a table discussing what data is collected and what the data is used for. One item says:
“Sensitive personal information, including driver’s license number, national or state identification number, citizenship status, immigration status, race, national origin, religious or philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation, sexual activity, precise geolocation, health diagnosis data, and genetic information” is “disclosed for a business purpose.”
Where does driver data go?
The Mozilla Foundation investigated several car manufacturers, including Hyundai. It said Hyundai “may ‘sell’ or ‘share’ identifiers (like your Social Security number in the United States), customer records (which can include ‘medical information’), commercial information, internet or other electronic network usage data (‘search history’), and profiles and inferences to or with affiliates and subsidiaries, marketing partners, third party ad companies and other marketing and advertising partners; and analytics providers.”