TechCapsules

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

A Northeastern University study examined 21 late‑model cars from 17 manufacturers and 30 companion apps, finding that 19 vehicles and 7 apps routinely sent sensitive data—including VINs, emails, phone numbers, and precise locations—to third‑party tech firms such as Adobe, Google, Meta, and Snap. The research shows that pairing an app with a vehicle roughly doubles exposure to advertisers and data brokers, enabling detailed consumer profiles that can be sold to insurers and banks. Automakers largely blamed consumers, except Honda, which revised its data practices after the findings.