If you bought a new car in the last five years, you may be sharing more than just the road. Some car companies could be tracking and selling your driving data without you even knowing it.
Peter Rivera's brand-new BMW tells him how the car is doing provides with him essential services.
"You're able to check out the tire pressure monitor," Rivera said. "It lets you know each individual tire."
However, this technology may be spying on him.
A new consumer report said that auto companies like BMW, Ford, Toyota, Honda and potentially others gather so-called “driver behavior data." It's everything from how hard you brake to how hard you accelerate.
"Auto manufacturers can gather this data quicker, easier, more efficiently, and in a more detailed fashion than only a few years ago," said Doug Nellans, president and CEO of the Insurance Center of Fort Myers.
They get this information directly from policyholders or purchase it from car companies. Many automakers said they only give it to “trusted partners," but they will not say who those are.
Nellans believes some car companies may be trying to sell this data or create their own auto insurance. Most insurance companies offer an opt-out period, but that may not be the case in this situation.
"Presumably, the insurance companies are offering better terms and pricing to drivers that exercise good, safe driving habits, as indicated by this information. However, they could also be offering worse terms and pricing to drivers who exercise poor driving habits."
Plus, companies often gather this information without drivers fully understanding what they are agreeing to.
"You sign 25 documents, and you don't read through any of it," Rivera said. "You just sign away."
There is a way to take control of your data. Most automakers allow consumers to submit a request to limit data sharing or delete their information completely.
"States are in the process of rolling out legislation to sort of curb and limit this information sharing process," Nellans said.
Often, you can complete an online form on the company’s website or change privacy settings through your car’s connected mobile map. However, opting out could mean losing access to features.
"Some people would argue that they're personally identifiable information, like their Social Security number, their date of birth, things like that are included in this massive package of information that's being bought and sold," Nellans said.
Bottom line: Taking just a few minutes to check your privacy options could keep your driving habits from becoming someone else’s profit.