Your vehicle may be spying on you, according to recent reporting from The New York Times. Citing General Motors vehicles, an investigation found that cars were sending data on driver behavior back to the manufacturer, who then sold it to LexisNexis, a data brokerage. LexisNexis then sold that data to auto insurance companies, who, in some cases, used it to raise rates on their customers.
To General Motors’ credit, they vowed to stop selling data to LexisNexis after the Times story broke, but the damage had already been done to some customers. Other manufacturers may still be selling data to third parties who then resell it to your insurer.
You did not buy a vehicle to spy on you. You have data privacy rights that should prevent this behavior. Specifically, you should be given the opportunity to opt out of any system that tracks your driving and behavior behind the wheel.
Lemon Law Can Get You Out of Cars and Trucks That Spy
You have the right to turn off third-party data sharing, which means you have the right to stop your vehicle from spying on you. The problem is that some of these systems simply do not work. You try to turn them off, and they either stay on or turn on again the next time you start the vehicle.
To get rid of a car or truck that’s spying on you in Florida, you simply need to make 3 trips to the dealer to turn off data sharing. If the dealership cannot turn this feature off permanently, you may have a Lemon Law claim for defective systems.
To file a Lemon Law claim in Florida, the spying car, truck or van must be less than 24 months old and purchased new from a dealership. You must have 3 documented attempts to turn off data sharing that failed. From there, you can file a Lemon Law claim, get your money back minus normal vehicle depreciation, and buy a vehicle that respects your privacy.
Is It Worth Filing a Lemon Law Claim If My Vehicle Spies on Me?
There are no out-of-pocket costs to file a Lemon Law claim. Legal fees are deducted from your settlement only if you win your case, so there is no risk to you in using the Lemon Law to push back on spyware installed by some manufacturers.
Filing a claim make sense when you consider the added costs you might face if your insurance company gets your vehicle data and decides that it does not like how, how often or where you drive. Insurance companies may jack up your rates based on how much time you spend on the road, where you park while at work or where you drive, even if you drive safely. If you are an aggressive driver, you may also be facing insurance hikes because your vehicle is spying on you.
Add in the extra costs of insurance premiums, and a Lemon Law claim could save you money over the long run.
When you contact Bad Vehicle, an experienced Florida Lemon Law attorney will evaluate your case for free and help you process your lemon law claim. There is never any out-of-pocket cost unless your claim results in a buyback. Call us at 1-786-297-8977 to see if you are eligible.