GM to Pay Ohio $8 Million Over Allegations It Secretly Sold Driver Data
General Motors has agreed to pay $8 million to the state of Ohio as part of a larger $220 million settlement involving 36 states over privacy concerns related to its Smart Driver program.
General Motors (GM) has reached a significant agreement with the state of Ohio, settling for $8 million as part of a broader $220 million deal that addresses allegations of secret sales of customer driving data. This settlement, confirmed by multiple sources, includes 36 states and resolves claims that GM shared collected data with third-party data brokers without proper consent from its customers 156.
The dispute centers around GM’s Smart Driver program, which operated from 2016 to 2024, collecting extensive information on drivers’ habits and behaviors. According to reports, more than 370,000 customers were misled into believing their data was not being monitored, adding another layer of complexity to the legal proceedings 23.
Under the terms of the settlement, GM has committed to obtaining explicit permission from consumers before collecting or sharing their personal data. This change in policy aims to ensure greater transparency and trust in the future, aligning with growing consumer expectations for privacy protection 34.
The settlement also highlights the widespread nature of the issue, affecting not just Ohio but 35 other states across the country. This underscores the far-reaching impact of GM’s practices and the need for robust consumer protections in the digital age 234.
What we know
- - The dispute involves General Motors' Smart Driver program, which collected driving data between 2016 and 2024 12346
- - General Motors will pay $220 million to settle claims 234
- - The settlement involves 36 states 234
- - General Motors allegedly shared collected data with data brokers 234
- - Ohio will receive $8 million from the settlement 156
- - More than 370,000 customers were mistakenly told their data wasn't being monitored 23
- - Under the settlement, General Motors must get explicit consent from consumers before collecting or disclosing their data 34
Verification report
High confidence — probability of truth 91%, weighted across 7 claims from 6 independent outlets. Since the first report: 78% → 91%, outlets 4 → 6.
- confirmed The dispute involves General Motors' Smart Driver program, which collected driving data between 2016 and 2024. (97%)
- confirmed General Motors will pay $220 million to settle claims. (93%)
- confirmed The settlement involves 36 states. (93%)
- confirmed General Motors allegedly shared collected data with data brokers. (93%)
- confirmed Ohio will receive $8 million from the settlement. (85%)
- confirmed More than 370,000 customers were mistakenly told their data wasn't being monitored. (85%)
- confirmed Under the settlement, General Motors must get explicit consent from consumers before collecting or disclosing their data. (85%)
Sources
- WKYC (Ohio) — GM to pay Ohio $8 million over allegations it secretly sold driver data
https://www.wkyc.com/article/life/automotive/gm-to-pay-ohio-8-million-over-allegations-it-secretly-sold-driver-data/512-7ed0cdbc-a415-4d90-9587-6fe9628b83c3 - The Record — GM settles with 36 states for selling driver data, agrees to $220 million fine and reforms
https://therecord.media/general-motors-lawsuit-privacy - Courthouse News — GM to pay $220M to settle claims it sold driver data
https://www.courthousenews.com/gm-to-pay-220m-to-settle-claims-it-sold-driver-data/ - The Verge — GM to pay $220 million to resolve claims it sold driving habits data
https://www.theverge.com/transportation/1022555/gm-data-privacy-attorneys-general-lawsuit - WKBN.com (Ohio) — Ohio to get $8M in GM driving data lawsuit
https://www.wkbn.com/news/ohio/ohio-to-get-8m-in-gm-driving-data-lawsuit/ - 10TV (Columbus) — GM to pay Ohio $8 million over allegations it secretly sold driver data
https://www.10tv.com/article/news/local/gm-to-pay-ohio-8-million-over-allegations-it-secretly-sold-driver-data/512-7ed0cdbc-a415-4d90-9587-6fe9628b83c3