Cadillac Smart Driver and Privacy Concerns

[poor-sha]

QQ: what do you mean the data seems to go back the entire history? Do you have a way to check the data online, vs waiting two weeks for LexisNexis to send something via post?

Mine just went up a lot too; wondering if this is a factor. Uncool. And big thanks to the OP for bringing this to light. I only discovered this thread today, and found that mine was also enabled even though I had never heard of this "feature."

I started looking at past months data in the app and was still seeing hard accel and braking events. I went back to last August when my last track event in this car and it as something like 364 events. At that point I just turned it off and requested by l-n report.

 

[Andi]

I started looking at past months data in the app and was still seeing hard accel and braking events. I went back to last August when my last track event in this car and it as something like 364 events. At that point I just turned it off and requested by l-n report.

Which app? I didn’t realize you could even see this kind of data in any of the GM apps. Maybe too late now that I just opted out though.

 

[beamon]

I wonder how it switched to on again for so many people…I also switched it to opt out again which I did a month ago as well and surprised to have to do it again today

 

[Champale]

I also very specifically never opted in when I got the car in November but I just checked and it just showed me with it on. Total BS from GM/Cadillac/Onstar. So now I need to check in every so often to make sure it hasn't turned back on. Ridiculous.

 

[GTANotch88]

Yup, mine was back on too after specifically checking a while back. However my car hadn't been driven since early Dec. It's back off for now....

 

[Champale]

If anyone has disabled OnStar on a 5BW, I would love some education as to how it's done . . .

 

[Jim2000]

Well this is BS. When this thread first came up, I checked and confirmed safe driver was turned off. I just checked again and not only is it turned on, but the data seems to go back to my entire history with the car.

I’ve turned it back off and requested my LexisNexus as well as asking them to delete my data.

My auto insurance has over doubled in the last couple years, now I’m wondering if this is the reason.

You have brought up an interesting point that we are being monitored and the data is being used by insurance companies to raise their rates. How wide spread is this? Auto insurance has skyrocketed as far as costs. Is there any end to this run away inflation?

 

[shbox]

FWIW, I opted out of Smart Driver some time ago and it still is shown that way.

 

[coffee_time]

NYT did a complete write up about this very subject today.

Automakers Are Sharing Consumers’ Driving Behavior With Insurance Companies

LexisNexis, which generates consumer risk profiles for the insurers, knew about every trip G.M. drivers had taken in their cars, including when they sped, braked too hard or accelerated rapidly.

www.nytimes.com

If it’s behind a paywall: http://archive.today/lmMp9

 

[IMSA-01-fan]

I'm not enrolled in smart driver, never have been, also never had on star activated, yet there are still 50 pages from my car on Lexis Nexis. I do not see any options like mentioned here to turn things off since they were never on.

 

[FI Fiend]

NYT did a complete write up about this very subject today.

Automakers Are Sharing Consumers’ Driving Behavior With Insurance Companies

LexisNexis, which generates consumer risk profiles for the insurers, knew about every trip G.M. drivers had taken in their cars, including when they sped, braked too hard or accelerated rapidly.

www.nytimes.com

If it’s behind a paywall: http://archive.today/lmMp9

Good find. I wasn't aware of this: "LexisNexis Risk Solutions, which retains consumers’ driving data for six months..."

I confirmed that within my report it was indeed only the prior 6 months shown.

While still unclear how this was allowed if we weren't enrolled in safedriver, at least now we can provide evidence we weren't enrolled and cross check against dates of anything in our L-N report for those specific time windows. OnStar did also confirm that I wasn't enrolled previously so maybe that could be a way to get removal of anything currently in the record.

This may be a better move than fully opting out of L-N. I dont know if opting out poses a risk of rate increase. For example, if a company can't find your specific records of accidents, insurance coverage etc, would they just go with a higher rate? Maybe the DMV records are enough?

 

[coffee_time]

Good find. I wasn't aware of this: "LexisNexis Risk Solutions, which retains consumers’ driving data for six months..."

I confirmed that within my report it was indeed only the prior 6 months shown.

While still unclear how this was allowed if we weren't enrolled in safedriver, at least now we can provide evidence we weren't enrolled and cross check against dates of anything in our L-N report for those specific time windows. OnStar did also confirm that I wasn't enrolled previously so maybe that could be a way to get removal of anything currently in the record.

This may be a better move than fully opting out of L-N. I dont know if opting out poses a risk of rate increase. For example, if a company can't find your specific records of accidents, insurance coverage etc, would they just go with a higher rate? Maybe the DMV records are enough?

Yeah I said this earlier about completely opting out:

This isn't good news

When I submitted my request to suppress the info it says this:

Please note that your information will remain in the following products and services: restricted public records products which are available to commercial and government entities that meet LexisNexis credentialing requirements and are used to detect and prevent fraud, enforce transactions, perform due diligence, and other critical business and government functions; products regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act; third party data available through real time gateways; news; and legal documents.

So it only partially works. Oh well. Better than nothing I guess.


It also said this, which REALLY sucks:
Opting out of LexisNexis products can limit your access to valuable consumer services such as online identity or insurance verification. If you experience difficulties with such a service and would like to opt in temporarily or permanently, please use the following link:

Doesn't sound great to completely get out.

 

[NorCal Blackwing]

NYT did a complete write up about this very subject today.

Automakers Are Sharing Consumers’ Driving Behavior With Insurance Companies

LexisNexis, which generates consumer risk profiles for the insurers, knew about every trip G.M. drivers had taken in their cars, including when they sped, braked too hard or accelerated rapidly.

www.nytimes.com

If it’s behind a paywall: http://archive.today/lmMp9

1) "Drivers who have realized what is happening are not happy. The Palm Beach Cadillac owner said he would never buy another car from G.M. He is planning to sell his Cadillac." Fellow Blackwing owner, I wonder? It's fairly ridiculous for GM to sell cars like Blackwings and Z06 Vette's with this feature turned on by default. I wonder if it has geofencing for tracks. Otherwise, if you do a few track days (in your car specifically designed and sold as track capable), you become uninsurable!

2) Great to see exposure in a big national paper like the NYT, but wonder why the automotive press isn't speaking about this? Would be fun to see this information in car reviews or 'car of the year' tests. "Amazing acceleration and braking performance, but be aware if you use it, your insurance rates will double since GM automatically reports the information to insurance companies".

 

[coffee_time]

1) "Drivers who have realized what is happening are not happy. The Palm Beach Cadillac owner said he would never buy another car from G.M. He is planning to sell his Cadillac." Fellow Blackwing owner, I wonder? It's fairly ridiculous for GM to sell cars like Blackwings and Z06 Vette's with this feature turned on by default. I wonder if it has geofencing for tracks. Otherwise, if you do a few track days (in your car specifically designed and sold as track capable), you become uninsurable!

2) Great to see exposure in a big national paper like the NYT, but wonder why the automotive press isn't speaking about this? Would be fun to see this information in car reviews or 'car of the year' tests. "Amazing acceleration and braking performance, but be aware if you use it, your insurance rates will double since GM automatically reports the information to insurance companies".

Couple things: Regarding point 1: it doesn't exclude track days!! In the article it talks specifically about someone getting dinged by bringing their Vette to the track.

Regarding point 2: I think the automotive press isn't so much investigative journalism anymore, but rather click-bait bullshit to funnel ad dollars to the site. They're most likely going to take this NYT article and repost it with some stupid commentary and call it good within the next couple weeks.

 

[NorCal Blackwing]

Regarding point 2: I think the automotive press isn't so much investigative journalism anymore, but rather click-bait bullshit to funnel ad dollars to the site. They're most likely going to take this NYT article and repost it with some stupid commentary and call it good within the next couple weeks.

That's a real shame. I see R&T and C&D getting thinner and thinner - and soon they will be gone, replaced entirely by paid automotive influencers. Journalists complain bitterly about this, but I dunno maybe do your job?

 

[coffee_time]

That's a real shame. I see R&T and C&D getting thinner and thinner - and soon they will be gone, replaced entirely by paid automotive influencers. Journalists complain bitterly about this, but I dunno maybe do your job?

We live in a world where youtube 'journalists' like MKBHD can post a review of a dumb Fisker vehicle that will get more engagement than the NYT will about literally tracking your everyday life. People's priorities are F'd.

 

[Eberk]

Anyone run a report that bought their car used? I submitted a report request and it came back unable to verify identity. The only thing I can think of is either they can’t place me with the original activation or I didn’t verify my email address as my wife just got a few minutes ago when she filled out her form.

Our daughter had a very minor fender rub in a parking lot like 3 years ago and for some reason when we spoke to our insurance about lowering our rates it showed as my wife was the driver. Insurance lady said we need to take it up with Lexis nexis to have it removed and we were like who the hell are they!!!

 

[coffee_time]

Anyone run a report that bought their car used? I submitted a report request and it came back unable to verify identity. The only thing I can think of is either they can’t place me with the original activation or I didn’t verify my email address as my wife just got a few minutes ago when she filled out her form.

Our daughter had a very minor fender rub in a parking lot like 3 years ago and for some reason when we spoke to our insurance about lowering our rates it showed as my wife was the driver. Insurance lady said we need to take it up with Lexis nexis to have it removed and we were like who the hell are they!!!

I bought mine new, but they also couldn't verify my identity. I called LN and it was a bug in their system not reading my address correctly. The person on the phone corrected it with me on the line and resubmitted. It's not car related, it's something screwed up with their verification process. Give em a call they can work it out.

 

[Eberk]

I bought mine new, but they also couldn't verify my identity. I called LN and it was a bug in their system not reading my address correctly. The person on the phone corrected it with me on the line and resubmitted. It's not car related, it's something screwed up with their verification process. Give em a call they can work it out.

Not sure I want to lol. Can only imagine what they have on me

 

[coffee_time]

Not sure I want to lol. Can only imagine what they have on me

The info is there for others to grab, you might as well know what they are seeing!