Several news outlets are reporting that General Motors (GM) will no longer share driver data with LexisNexis Risk Solutions and Verisk, ending a practice where data was passed on to insurance companies for underwriting metrics.
Driving habit data has been gathered via GM's OnStar Smart Driver, a feature in GM's 8 million internet-connected vehicles, and shared with insurance companies unbeknownst to drivers.
The automaker's cessation of data-sharing followed a New York Times exposé that uncovered GM's routine of disseminating driver data to third-party aggregators.
The Detroit Free Press explains that in a lawsuit filed on March 13, Romeo Chicco of Florida claims GM, its connected-services subsidiary OnStar, and data and analytics company LexisNexis Risk Solutions violated privacy and consumer protection laws.
According to the Detroit Free Press, Chicco claims that GM collected and disseminated his driving data, including details of his speeding, braking, and acceleration habits, to LexisNexis, which then passed the information to insurers and resulted in higher rates for him. The lawsuit, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, is pursuing class-action status.
In an email statement to The Verge, GM stated, "OnStar Smart Driver customer data is no longer being shared with LexisNexis or Verisk," and that "customer trust is a priority for us, and we are actively evaluating our privacy processes and policies."
