A Northeastern University and Consumer Reports study tested 21 connected cars from 19 brands, revealing persistent privacy issues as vehicles routinely transmit data to advertisers, trackers, and Big Tech firms like Microsoft and Adobe. Using companion apps was found to multiply data-sharing risks, and even when cellular signals were blocked with a Faraday tent, cars redirected traffic to Wi-Fi connections.
Background
Following a 2023 Mozilla Foundation report that called cars the worst product category for privacy, this new hands-on study used real-world testing methods including Faraday tents to measure actual data traffic from connected vehicles under various driving scenarios.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Sep 29, 2026 at 10:49 PM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10