GM to pay $220 million to settle 36-state probe into selling driver data
A bipartisan coalition of attorneys general found GM sold Smart Driver tracking data to brokers who passed it to insurers, sometimes raising premiums.
What to know
- GM will pay $220 million to resolve claims from 35-36 state attorneys general that it sold Smart Driver program data to brokers who supplied it to insurers for rate-setting.
- GM must now obtain drivers' express consent before collecting or sharing driving and location data, and limit the data it collects.
- This is GM's third privacy-related settlement in under two years, following a $12.75 million California deal and a 2025 FTC agreement.
- Smart Driver, discontinued in 2024, enrolled millions of drivers, many of whom were also using GM's OnStar service, often without clear notice of data sharing.
“GM told drivers this program would help them drive more safely and promised it wouldn't share their data with insurers without permission. Our investigation found GM sold that data anyway, and some drivers paid for it with higher premiums.”
Dan Rayfield, Oregon Attorney General · press release via The Verge ↗ · Oct 28
General Motors Automaker, settling party
Dan Rayfield Oregon Attorney General
Nick Brown Washington Attorney GeneralCharlotte McCoy GM spokesperson
How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts
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GM says settlement reinforces existing privacy changes
A GM spokesperson said the agreement addresses a program already discontinued in 2024 and reflects steps the company has taken to strengthen privacy practices, while the settlement also requires GM to obtain drivers' express consent before collecting or sharing driving and location data going forward.
“Safer, more helpful and personalized experiences are enabled by connected vehicle data, and GM is committed to being clear about what information is used, how it's protected, and the choices customers have about what they share.”
— Charlotte McCoy, GM spokesperson -
first by Mastodon, 15d ago · also The Verge
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BYD does have a history of selling user data to data brokers. No wait, that's GM. GM does that (as do many of the other major car companies).
2 more of the top 3 · 14 posts in this stretch
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TL;DR: GM has agreed to a $220 million settlement, requiring the company to obtain drivers' explicit consent before collecting or sharing their driving and location data. https:// techcrunch.com/2026/10/29/gm-r eaches-220m-settlement-over-selling-drivers-private-data/ # law # tech # legaltech ⚖️ 🤖 # autosum
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🚗 💸 GM pays $220M over driver data sales GM settles with 35 states and DC after selling driving data used to price insurance. 🔗 read more: arstechnica.com/cars... #ransomNews #cyberthreats #Privacy
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GM agrees to $220 million multistate privacy settlement
GM agreed to pay $220 million to resolve claims brought by a coalition of 35-36 state attorneys general (plus Washington D.C.) that it illegally sold driver behavior and location data from its Smart Driver program to data brokers, who then sold it to insurers that used it to set or raise premiums.
“People bought a car, not a tracking device.”
— Dan Rayfield -
5 outlets first by Engadget, 14d ago · also Yahoo Finance, Reuters, Daring Fireball, TechRepublic · read ↗
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4 outlets GM settles with 36 states for selling driver data, agrees to $220 million fine and reforms
first by The Record, 15d ago · also Baltimore Sun, The Drive, Ars Technica
3 more headlines
- Maryland to receive $7.3 million in GM driver data settlement Baltimore Sun · 15d ago
- GM Pays $220 Million After Lawsuit Over Illegally Selling Drivers’ Data: TDS The Drive · 14d ago
- GM to pay $220 million after selling customer Smart Driver data Ars Technica · 14d ago
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background
GM pays $12.75 million to settle California data case — GM agreed to pay $12.75 million to resolve a California investigation into its alleged sale of driver data to two data brokers, a precursor to the larger multistate settlement.
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GM settles with FTC over geolocation data sharing — GM agreed with the US Federal Trade Commission not to disclose vehicle geolocation and driver behavior data to consumer reporting agencies for five years.
What people are saying 7 voices from 2 sites · best of 14 · verbatim
- Nov 2
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GM marketed its Smart Driver system as a way for parents to monitor teen drivers or for adults to track their driving behavior. But GM shared that data with brokers who sold it to insurance companies causing insurance to go up for some drivers.
- Nov 1
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Attorney General Rayfield Leads States in $220M Settlement With GM Over Sale of Drivers’ Private Data https://www. doj.state.or.us/media-home/new s-media-releases/ag-rayfield-leads-states-in-220m-settlement-w-gm-over-drivers-private-data/
- Oct 31
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When the company that sells you a car sells your data to insurance companies... https:// arstechnica.com/cars/2026/10/g m-to-pay-220-million-after-selling-customer-smart-driver-data/ # gm # privacy # law
- Oct 30
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General Motors will pay $220M in nationwide settlement for illegally sharing drivers' private data, Weiser announces https:// coag.gov/press-releases/genera l-motors-will-pay-220m-for-illegally-sharing-drivers-private-data/
- Oct 29
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GM agrees to $220M settlement to resolve lawsuit over data selling https://www. usatoday.com/story/cars/news/2 026/10/29/general-motors-settles-data-selling-lawsuit/92501716007/?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub Posted into Top Stories @ top-stories-USAToday
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General Motors agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by a coalition of 36 state attorneys general who alleged the company unlawfully sold information about driver behavior to outside parties. https:// therecord.media/general-motors -lawsuit-privacy
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GM to pay $220 million to resolve claims it sold data about driving habits https://www. theverge.com/transportation/10 22555/gm-data-privacy-attorneys-general-lawsuit