The sheer amount of data hoovered up by the modern car is mindboggling in its variety.
Many now record the vehicle’s position every few minutes, the number of times seatbelts tighten because of harsh braking, the destinations punched into the navigation system and even what connecting forms of transport a driver uses, among a plethora of other data points, according to a study by the Brussels-based Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).
Some companies, including the AA and rival roadside assistance provider the RAC, want to use the wealth of technical information generated, such as engine diagnostics and tyre pressures, to detect car problems early on, so they cost less to fix.
But it’s not just the vehicle that is under the microscope: the data can also tell you about the personal driving style of its owner, such as whether they regularly break the speed limit or have a tendency to accelerate and brake sharply.
In the US, the way this data has been collected and used – allegedly without the consent of some drivers – has exposed the dark side of telematics.
Earlier this month, the New York Times revealed how Kenn Dahl, the owner of a software company near Seattle, was told the cost of insuring his Chevrolet Bolt would have to rise by more than 20pc because of the information picked up by his car.
Like Chicco, Dahl says he signed up to a “smart driver” service, promoted as a way to help motorists improve their driving, which handed over his data to LexisNexis without his knowledge.
LexisNexis then used the information to compile a 258-page “consumer disclosure report” – half of which was dedicated to a detailed breakdown of every time he or his wife had driven their car in the past six months.
Over 640 journeys, the vehicle had noted their start and finish times, mileage, speeds travelled and instances of sudden braking or acceleration.
Insurers then used this to calculate a more personalised – and higher – premium for Dahl’s Bolt.
A spokesman for LexisNexis said insurance costs are based on “many factors” and argued that telematics can be “extremely valuable in helping consumers improve their driving and lower their risk”. General Motors has said it is reviewing Chicco’s complaint but pointed out that its driver services are optional.
In the UK, car makers insist a repeat of these American cases could never happen because of strict GDPR data rules. These mean customers must explicitly agree to share their information with insurers, meaning drivers cannot claim they were unwittingly duped.
