GM / ONSTAR · LEXISNEXIS / VERISK · INSURANCE

Driving telemetry left the vehicle ecosystem and reached consumer-reporting companies used by insurers.

Vehicle telemetry → data broker / consumer report → insurer → price or coverage consequence

The FTC alleged that General Motors and OnStar collected precise geolocation and driving-behavior information from millions of vehicles and provided driving information to consumer-reporting companies, including LexisNexis and Verisk. The data could include hard braking, speeding and late-night driving. Insurers used resulting reports in decisions that could include increased premiums, cancellation or denial of coverage.

The FTC said some consumers learned this information existed only after receiving an adverse insurance decision. In January 2026 the FTC finalized an order resolving its allegations against GM and OnStar.

Why it matters: A vehicle feature can begin as a service relationship with the manufacturer and end as an input to a completely different institution's decision about what you should pay.

Primary sources: FTC — GM/OnStar action · FTC — final order, 2026

WHY THIS LIBRARY EXISTS

This page preserves the anecdote and its caveats separately from the shorter Why Privacy Matters explainer. The goal is to keep the argument readable without hiding the receipts.