These apps track your driving habits and sell that information to insurance companies

[Skye Jacobs]

A hot potato: Many were surprised to learn that connected vehicles collect data about drivers and sell that information to insurance companies. As it turns out, so do apps on a driver's smartphone. Most drivers are unaware that this is even happening.

Earlier this year, the New York Times dropped a bomb on drivers of connected vehicles: manufacturers collect and sell their driving data to insurance companies, which use the information to set rates for individual drivers. Now, a new report shows that this type of data collection is more ubiquitous than even dystopian-minded privacy advocates might have realized.

Information about driving habits is also being collected by apps that are only tangentially related to automobiles. You may already have one installed on your phone.

Examples include Life360, MyRadar, and GasBuddy. They all have opt-in driving analysis features that rely on sensor and motion data from the phone. The apps also offer insights into things like safety and fuel usage. Many of these apps partner with a company called Arity, a data broker founded by Allstate.

Arity uses the data it collects to create driving scores and then sells them to auto insurance companies, which use the data to set rates for drivers using the apps. Arity claims it has over 40 million "active connections" to US drivers, who have opted into sharing their driving data through "consumer mobile apps, in-car devices, and connected cars."

While users must consent to the data collection, the request for the data is often hidden in boilerplate contract language that most smartphone users don't read. The apps also make it difficult to see in the apps' opt-in process.

For example, GasBuddy has a feature that rates the fuel efficiency of trips. It is "powered by Arity," but the agreement to opt into the data collection is in a small gray font under a big red button labeled "Join Drives." Furthermore, the disclosure only informs the driver that by clicking "Join Drives" they will share "certain information" with Arity and agree to its hyperlinked privacy statement.

The apps essentially double dip on their users, first by charging them a subscription fee, then by selling their driving data to car insurance companies. Consumers know about the cost of the subscription. However, most are unaware of how much information the data brokers collect and how much that data may cost them in their insurance rates.

If you don't like the idea of your car insurance company spying on your driving habits, you should avoid apps powered by Arity or all driving-related apps altogether.

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These apps track your driving habits and sell that information to insurance companies

 

[The Talking Tech]

This is the time when the government needs to step in.

These companies selling our personal information have gone overboard...now it's truly having an immediate negative impact to our lives and financial stability.

 

[hahahanoobs]

Everything spies on you.
That's why I laugh when I hear people thinking some VPN or piece of software is all they need.

 

[hahahanoobs]

This is the time when the government needs to step in.

These companies selling our personal information have gone overboard...now it's truly having an immediate negative impact to our lives and financial stability.

Would be even better if voters made it crystal clear.

 

[axiomatic13]

Even with all the spying, I feel Life360 has some uses. When my mom was in the early stages of dementia before Alzheimers set in I would use it to check on her to see if she was lost. She was never on the freeways, just neighborhood streets so she was never going more than 30 mph. But I would check on her, and she would have pulled over somewhere and stopped because she didn't recognize the street, even though it was the right one. I would give her a call then, help her find her visual markers and she would get to where she needed to go.

 

[BabaYaga]

Even the patient communication platforms that your healthcare provider has a contract with, sell access to your data to insurance brokers. If you ever get one, when you click on agree on the terms, you're opting in to sale of this access. You have to find a menu to uncheck that later once you get in. They're not governed by HIPPA but FTC so they get around it that way. They're not selling brokers your healthcare your information but will pass on any marketing to someone who just turned a certain age and needs to renew insurance. Their business model is based on selling these apps to healthcare providers and on the side scamming seniors which is unfortunate because this is the communication tool that healthcare providers use and you keep all your past healthcare data in one convenient place.

These insurance brokers sell privately run Medicare Advantage and most don't know that's totally different from government run Medicare. These ads scare seniors into renewing their Medicare but really they're switching them over to Medicare Advantage.

One of them is Follow My Health by Allscripts. Be careful. If your provider uses it, tell them Allscripts is making millions on the side from this and put it in their next contract to not allow to market. They'll do it for their big customers but others they'll make them pay more. I used to ignore, like most everyone else probably, the ToS, but now I do a quick Ctrl-F for words like opt-out.

 

[godrilla]

Everything spies on you.
That's why I laugh when I hear people thinking some VPN or piece of software is all they need.

It's true but what if you use a dummy account or alternative email address different from the said Insurance on top of VPN. If they want to data mine your data give them fragments. Data collection is inevitable, while the article mentions less than a handful of apps what about ISPs, Google maps Waze ( owned by Google) That can trangulate you on the grid and technically extraolpolte driving habits. If you want a level of privacy maybe have a second device(alternative email with vpn) with those questionable apps that tethers network from primary device. Unfortunately Data collectors love convenience. Anything convenient is often low bearing fruit imo.

 

[p51d007]

This is the time when the government needs to step in.

These companies selling our personal information have gone overboard...now it's truly having an immediate negative impact to our lives and financial stability.

Oh, don't worry...you can bet the government IS stepping in. Once they figure out they can TAX people based on the miles they drive, bring in MORE money than the fuel tax, they will.

 

[skittlebrau]

It's true but what if you use a dummy account or alternative email address different from the said Insurance on top of VPN. If they want to data mine your data give them fragments. Data collection is inevitable, while the article mentions less than a handful of apps what about ISPs, Google maps Waze ( owned by Google) That can trangulate you on the grid and technically extraolpolte driving habits. If you want a level of privacy maybe have a second device(alternative email with vpn) with those questionable apps that tethers network from primary device. Unfortunately Data collectors love convenience. Anything convenient is often low bearing fruit imo.

I’m assuming they’re tying together common sets of data, and one you can’t avoid is your licence plate which the vehicle manufacturer and insurer will both know.

 

[toooooot]

This is the time when the government needs to step in.

These companies selling our personal information have gone overboard...now it's truly having an immediate negative impact to our lives and financial stability.

This does not look lawful at all. I feel like if there was an investigation, and someone tracked this info being used for deciding insurance rate, well it seems like it would be perfectly punishable.
This also makes me think, how much can Gmaps harvest from its map app?
The possibilities are limitless.
I feel more and more lately that I do not carry Google apps on my phone but rather a stalker that wants to know about me as much as possible.

 

[trgz]

It's true but what if you use a dummy account or alternative email address different from the said Insurance on top of VPN. If they want to data mine your data give them fragments. Data collection is inevitable, while the article mentions less than a handful of apps what about ISPs, Google maps Waze ( owned by Google) That can trangulate you on the grid and technically extraolpolte driving habits. If you want a level of privacy maybe have a second device(alternative email with vpn) with those questionable apps that tethers network from primary device. Unfortunately Data collectors love convenience. Anything convenient is often low bearing fruit imo.

I read 'extraolpolte [sic] driving habits' as 'extra polite driving habits'

 

[kiwigraeme]

I wonder how this would go down in the EU etc

Does the USA, not have a privacy act. Ie any request to your insurance company. they must provide all the information they have about you. They probably shirt around it , by not holding the info themselves , but just an offsite check , like a credit rating check

The other problem is I doubt the accuracy of this info . Or how relevant to specific person
eg for health BMI is a rough tool to determine if overweight . yet you can have a no muscle skinny tall guy with a potbelly and visceral fat, Or a average height stocky muscular person

Does it know you are on a bus , in a friends car as a passenger etc ?

 

[Zcolor]

I drove a Class A vehicle, (pulled a 53' semi-trailer, with a Peterbilt conventional model 579) from Feb. 1993 until June 2023 last year. I retired a bit early, because of the way you dangerous fools drive! I'm speaking of all drivers, regardless of license class! 99% of the driving public, are very dangerous a-holes! I was the guy in my big truck of my personal vehicle, driving a 1/8th or a 1/4 mile behind you fools, clustered up, cutting each other off, brake checking each other, throwing things at each other shooting at each other, tailgating, etc... I'm surprised there aren't more crashes as a result of the way you fools drive every day! I got out, I don't want any part of that BS! I rarely drive in my personal vehicle on the highway. It's just not worth it!

I don't see how any insurance company can afford to insure you dangerous fools! Giving these insurance companies information on how you *****s drive is a good thing. When you can no longer get insurance, then you won't be able to drive anymore. Of course, you'll drive anyway, but that will cost you $$$. And, hopefully you continue to drive without insurance, you'll eventually be locked up!

 

[godrilla]

I’m assuming they’re tying together common sets of data, and one you can’t avoid is your licence plate which the vehicle manufacturer and insurer will both know.

The data collection doesn't have your license plate although the NYC and other Meuni meters apps might give them that information if they collaborate. They are simply giving data over to the highest bidder. These apps are often free. The free app model was always about back end advertisements in order for a sustained revenue stream. If they collect false information about you then the insurance company that is the highest bidder can't peace the puzzle together. An email address is like the new household anyone in living or associated within that email or house can be a potential driver/ liability. Name on accounts as well as your phone number can be used as well.

 

[mountains]

So yeah. What about Goog Maps and Apple Maps? This is what a lot of people use. The article doesn't mention them. Do they sell that data to insurance companies?

I use the open-source OsmAnd (via F-Droid). It gets lots of updates, though it has some limits.

 

[ZedRM]

This is one of the MANY reasons we turn GPS OFF unless/until needed. Location tracking is all kinds of wrong and need complete user management.

 

[WaphleStomp]

They ain't trackin' me. I have a mid-80s p/u truck, my phone's always off when I'm drivin', and I don't install apps on my phone; checkmate evil internet, muahahahahaaaaa!

 

[opckieran]

Oh, don't worry...you can bet the government IS stepping in. Once they figure out they can TAX people based on the miles they drive, bring in MORE money than the fuel tax, they will.

Good ol Guv will also either figure out how to tax those data brokers OR let them write the rules with sufficient bribery… all while finding a scapegoat to shift the blame to.

 

[Pherenn Kov]

Most individuals do not realize, there is NO such thing as privacy anymore. As a private citizen, without law enforcement access, I can locate your personal vehicle via its license plate # in seconds on the map, look at locations you visit, see your criminal and civil history, see the loans and judgments you have, review your voting history and the companies you have worked for/created, and a plethora of other personal information. In literally seconds, I will know all your relatives, your neighbors and the color of your vehicle and its tag, much less obtain copies of the floor plan of the home you live in, and who holds the paper on your vehicle and home. Privacy is dead; long live data aggregators who collect ALL this data about you (including your user names, Emails, IP addresses), and all other personal data about YOU. You don't need to be law enforcement, you just need an account and pay for your searches to find anything about anyone. legal.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/clear; and this company is just one of the hundreds out there, selling your data, and it's totally legal to use for any legal purpose.

 

[Pherenn Kov]

They ain't trackin' me. I have a mid-80s p/u truck, my phone's always off when I'm drivin', and I don't install apps on my phone; checkmate evil internet, muahahahahaaaaa!

In seconds, I can track your vehicle as you drive through red light cameras, and toll booths. By looking at your history, I can develop your patterns showing when you drive on the interstate versus sitting at a red light. You have no privacy even on old vehicles, as long as you have a driver's license/vehicle registration. Sorry to burst your bubble.

 

[Pherenn Kov]

I’m assuming they’re tying together common sets of data, and one you can’t avoid is your licence plate which the vehicle manufacturer and insurer will both know.

They CLEARLY do track your license tags; how do you think they bill you for E-pass and other toll systems. Even the police cameras are mounted on police vehicles (license tag readers) which are provided to law enforcement AND return their data back to data aggregators. Its cameras are already in use in more than 3,000 communities in at least 40 states capturing pictures of one billion cars per month. In 2022, the American Civil Liberties Union warned that Flock is building a mass surveillance system “unlike any seen before in American life.” "Its software doesn’t use facial recognition and they don’t measure speed. But it does create a “vehicle fingerprint” that includes not only your license plate, but the color, make, and even the bumper sticker on your car." Face it: They got you. There is no privacy in the U.S. anymore.

 

[WaphleStomp]

In seconds, I can track your vehicle as you drive through red light cameras, and toll booths. By looking at your history, I can develop your patterns showing when you drive on the interstate versus sitting at a red light. You have no privacy even on old vehicles, as long as you have a driver's license/vehicle registration. Sorry to burst your bubble.

There's not a red light camera within 500 kms of where I live, nor a toll booth, either. I live in Canada, you can't access SFA about me, nor derive my driving patters or anything else. If you're going to declare the sky is falling be sure to say it's the sky over the UK. Out here, I have privacy. Bubble still intact; sorry to snap your bubble-bustin' pin.

 

[RS2OOO]

Life360 often shows me as having driven at 144mph.... which is the speed of my train, not my car.
I also do track days which result in Life360 reporting tens of excessively "heavy braking" incidents in a single day.
No wonder my car insurance premiums have sky rocketed despite being claim free my entire life.

 

[maxxcool7421]

This is the time when the government needs to step in.

These companies selling our personal information have gone overboard...now it's truly having an immediate negative impact to our lives and financial stability.

*negative* so you drive like a jacka55 .. then get penalize for it and blame someone else for your habits.. LOL .... yeah put the hat on tighter bub

 

[maxxcool7421]

There's not a red light camera within 500 kms of where I live, nor a toll booth, either. I live in Canada, you can't access SFA about me, nor derive my driving patters or anything else. If you're going to declare the sky is falling be sure to say it's the sky over the UK. Out here, I have privacy. Bubble still intact; sorry to snap your bubble-bustin' pin.

the pings from your cell phone track your avg speed direction and elevation. your are tracked. period. if you own a car after 2012 with any sort of onstar or equivalent you are tracked by it pinging cell towers or low orbit satellites unless you reach under and CUT the data line from the ECU to the antenna MODULE (removing the antenna does nothing but lower range)