Software:Privacy4Cars

From HandWiki

Privacy4Cars is an American automotive privacy and data security company that provides tools to consumers and auto dealers that remove personal data from vehicles.[1][2][3] The company also provides a "Vehicle Privacy Report" that summarizes a vehicle's data-collection and sharing practices based on the vehicle's make and model.[4]

The company was founded Andrea Amico, a cybersecurity expert.[5][6]

History

Privacy4Cars was founded by Andrea Amico in 2014,[7] primarily concerned with large amounts of personal data that is retained and shared by modern vehicles. Amico has described vehicle infotainment systems as "digital vaults that store your information every time you connect your phone, making it accessible to other renters, car rental employees, car manufacturers, and cybercriminals."[5] Amico has also stated that consumer data is "collected and shared with third parties, and the third parties of the third parties, and so on," and that it is "very uncommon for vehicle manufacturers to publicly disclose the individual names of any parties with whom they share personal data."[8][9]

Products

Privacy4Cars develops software to help consumers and dealerships[10] remove user data from in-vehicle infotainment centers and telematics systems.[9][11][12] It also has a service called the "Vehicle Privacy Report," a privacy labeling service that summarizes what a particular vehicle is tracking.[13] The user enters in their VIN, which determines the make and model of the vehicle and the user is given a privacy report card for their vehicle and instructions to remove or enable certain permissions.[14][15] The tool also provides if the car collects "identifiers, location data, biometrics, and data synced from mobile phones," and which data manufacturers sell to third parties, such as data brokers.[16]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Woods, Bob (August 20, 2025). "Erasing personal data from the devices you discard is a booming business" (in en). https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/20/erasing-data-from-the-devices-you-discard-is-a-booming-business.html. 
  2. ↑ "It’s not just Tesla. Vehicles amass huge troves of possibly sensitive data." (in en-US). The Washington Post. January 4, 2025. ISSN 0190-8286. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/01/04/tesla-data-privacy-vehicles/. 
  3. ↑ "How G.M. Tricked Millions of Drivers Into Being Spied On (Including Me) (Published 2024)" (in en). April 23, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/23/technology/general-motors-spying-driver-data-consent.html. 
  4. ↑ Burgess, Matt. "How Your New Car Tracks You" (in en-US). Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. https://www.wired.com/story/car-data-privacy-toyota-honda-ford/. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Booth, Barbara (September 25, 2024). "Connecting your phone to rental car infotainment system? There is a big, hidden privacy risk" (in en). https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/25/hidden-risk-of-syncing-your-phone-to-rental-car-infotainment-system.html. 
  6. ↑ Ropek, Lucas (March 17, 2021). "This Surveillance Company Claims It Can Track Nearly Any Car in Real-Time" (in en-US). https://gizmodo.com/this-surveillance-company-claims-it-can-track-nearly-an-1846494534. 
  7. ↑ "Your Car May Be Spying On You. Here’s How to Get It to Stop." (in en-US). March 4, 2025. https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/personal-information/how-to-stop-your-car-from-collecting-sharing-driving-data-a1233378612/. 
  8. ↑ Cox, Joseph (June 10, 2021). "'Privacy Protecting' Car Location Data Seemingly Shows Where People Live, Work, and Go" (in en-US). https://www.vice.com/en/article/car-location-data-not-anonymous-otonomo/. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Cox, Joseph (March 17, 2021). "Cars Have Your Location. This Spy Firm Wants to Sell It to the U.S. Military" (in en-US). https://www.vice.com/en/article/car-location-data-telematics-us-military-ulysses-group/. 
  10. ↑ Cox, Joseph (May 2, 2023). "New Tool Shows if Your Car Might Be Tracking You, Selling Your Data" (in en-US). https://www.vice.com/en/article/tool-shows-if-car-selling-data-privacy4cars-vehicle-privacy-report/. 
  11. ↑ Brewster, Thomas. "How Your Car Watches Everything You Do And Everywhere You Go" (in en). Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2021/07/05/your-car-is-watching-you/?sh=2e784a365425. 
  12. ↑ "Perspective | What does your car know about you? We hacked a Chevy to find out." (in en-US). The Washington Post. December 17, 2019. ISSN 0190-8286. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/12/17/what-does-your-car-know-about-you-we-hacked-chevy-find-out/. 
  13. ↑ "One Tech Tip: Modern cars are spying on you. Here's what you can do about it" (in en). November 6, 2025. https://apnews.com/article/auto-car-privacy-3674ce59c9b30f2861d29178a31e6ab7. 
  14. ↑ Hogan, Susan; reporter, News4 consumer investigative; Rodrigues • •, Ambar (May 16, 2024). "Your car could be collecting your personal data — even your sexual orientation" (in en-US). https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/consumer/your-car-could-be-collecting-your-personal-data-even-your-sexual-orientation/3618399/. 
  15. ↑ "Cars are data-harvesting machines. These brands share your personal information" (in en-AU). ABC News. October 8, 2024. https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2024-10-09/car-brands-are-tracking-and-sharing-your-data-with-third-parties/104440742. 
  16. ↑ Burgess, Matt. "Russian ‘Ghost Ships’ Identified Near the Nord Stream Blasts" (in en-US). Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. https://www.wired.com/story/russian-ghost-ships-nord-stream-blast/. 



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