The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →In a 2026 test of 30 automaker apps, 28 sent data to at least one outside advertising or analytics company, according to Consumer Reports. Seven apps sent at least one piece of personally identifying information to an outside company. Those results describe the apps tested—not every car app—and a connection to an outside company does not, by itself, prove that data was sold or used to target a driver.
What the test found
Consumer Reports’ account of the study says researchers examined traffic from 21 vehicles and 30 automaker mobile apps. The vehicle sample represented 19 brands, according to Ars Technica.
| Reported finding | What it covers |
|---|---|
| 28 of 30 apps contacted at least one outside advertising or analytics company | The tested apps, as reported by Consumer Reports in 2026 |
| 7 tested apps sent personally identifying information to an outside company | The tested apps, as reported by Consumer Reports in 2026 |
| 21 vehicles across 19 brands | The vehicle sample described by Consumer Reports and Ars Technica in 2026 |
Consumer Reports says the personally identifying information observed included examples such as an owner’s name, vehicle identification number (VIN), or precise geographic location. The report does not mean that each of the seven apps sent all of those data types.
What “ads and trackers” means here
A third-party contact is a connection from an app or vehicle to a domain outside the automaker. Consumer Reports categorized some outside recipients as advertising or analytics companies. Such a connection is evidence of a data flow, but it does not establish what information the recipient ultimately retained or did with it.
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- It does show: the tested app or vehicle connected to an outside domain under the test conditions reported.
- It does not by itself show: that the automaker sold the data, that the recipient used it for personalized advertising, or that every category of personal information reached that recipient.
Ars Technica reported that using the companion apps could add substantial advertising, tracking, and analytics exposure. It identified General Motors, Toyota, and Nissan among the worst performers in the app portion of the test. That is Ars Technica’s characterization of this study’s app results, not a lasting ranking of every current app from those manufacturers.
Why both the car and its app matter
Connected-car privacy is not only a question of what a vehicle transmits through its network connection. The automaker’s companion app is another route for data flows, and using it may add contacts with outside advertising or analytics companies. The reporting covers both vehicle traffic and app traffic, but the reported 28-of-30 and seven-app figures specifically refer to the tested apps.
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This distinction matters when interpreting the headline: the app findings should not be converted into a claim that every tested vehicle itself sent the same information, or that every app user experienced identical flows.
How far the findings reach
The figures are counts within a particular sample, not estimates of the proportion of all automaker apps or drivers affected. The reviewed reporting concerns testing reported in September 2026; app versions, software development kits, vehicle software, and service providers can change, so the results are a snapshot rather than a guarantee of current behavior.
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The available coverage does not establish a complete, directly comparable inventory of each brand’s recipients, data categories, or downstream practices. It supports the reported sample counts and the qualified app findings above, not a universal brand ranking or a conclusion that any particular company sold personal data.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to take away as a car owner
The useful conclusion is specific: most of the 30 tested automaker apps contacted an outside advertising or analytics company, and seven sent at least one personally identifying data point to an outside company, as reported by Consumer Reports. That warrants attention to connected-car and companion-app privacy, while keeping the distinction between observed network contact and proven sale or advertising use clear.
Quick Recap
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