General Motors Co. in Detroit announced it is discontinuing its OnStar Smart Driver product due to feedback from customers concerned about their privacy.
The New York Times reported last month that GM sold data about driving behavior to the insurance industry, and drivers weren’t told. As a result, insurance premiums increased.
“Over the last several weeks, we have heard feedback from many customers about the OnStar Smart Driver product,” said a statement from GM. “Customer trust is a priority for us, which is why we have taken several decisive actions and are continuing to review our processes.
The actions include:
Discontinuing OnStar Smart Driver: GM established the Smart Driver product to promote safer driving behavior for the benefit of customers who chose to participate. The automaker, however, decided to discontinue Smart Driver across all GM vehicles and unenroll all customers. This process will begin over the next few months.
Terminating partnerships with LexisNexis and Verisk: GM terminated its relationships with third-party telematics companies, LexisNexis and Verisk. Any data sharing with these companies ended on March 20.
Enhancing privacy controls: GM says it’s working on enhanced privacy controls aimed at greater transparency. At the same time, the automaker states it’s focused on providing customers with the ability to manage vehicle performance, diagnostics, and, most important, what is needed to keep them and their vehicles safe.
New leadership: Alisa Bergman joined GM as its new chief trust and privacy officer on April 29. She comes to GM from Fanatics, where she served as chief privacy officer, and before that held the roles of CPO at Adobe and Warner Bros. She was a board member for the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and is currently on the Advisory Boards of the IAPP AI Governance Center and The Future of Privacy Forum.
“At GM, we believe that vehicles are not just modes of transportation — they’re also technology platforms that can enrich our customers’ lives,” the GM statement says. “Vehicles have become increasingly connected, intelligent, and personalized with features that improve the overall driving experience and safety on every journey. As our technology progresses, we are committed to being transparent in our privacy practices and empowering customers with control of their data.
“We appreciate hearing from customers and will continue to share updates on our progress.”
