GM to pay $220 million to resolve claims it sold driving habits data

General Motors has agreed to pay $220 million to settle claims that it illegally sold driver and location information to data brokers, as reported earlier by Reuters. The agreement, which resolves a complaint from a coalition of 36 US attorneys general, requires GM to limit the driving data it collects and obtain “express consent” from drivers before collecting their information.

The allegations surround GM’s now-discontinued Smart Driver program, which collected data about driving habits, including acceleration, braking, and trip length. GM allegedly passed this information to data brokers, enabling insurance companies to purchase the data and raise premiums. The states also accused GM of failing to notify drivers that they were enrolled in its Smart Driver program, and that the carmaker was collecting their data.