When you’re driving (or trying to drive) your state-of-the-art car, perhaps the least you think about is the fact that your car’s manufacturer may know more about you than you do about yourself.

The Mozilla Foundation conducted an investigation into how well car companies protect users’ personal information. The research analyzed 25 brands, which included Tesla, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Cadillac, Lexus, Audi, Toyota, Kia, Nissan, and Lincoln. The conclusion drawn was that modern cars present a “privacy and personal information protection nightmare.” Would you like to know the reasons behind this conclusion?

All companies collect an excess of personal information. It’s worth noting that car manufacturers have ample opportunities to gather personal data. They can and do collect information about your driving habits, speed preferences, locations you frequent, and even your music choices while driving, not to mention more sensitive categories of data.

Most of the above companies sell users’ personal data.

Most companies do not give users the power to control their personal data.

According to the study, given the specifics of cars, at this point, there is not much that users can do to protect their data.

However, we believe that raising awareness is an important step towards protecting personal data. Time will tell the rest. Before that, pay attention to how you behave in your car.