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Al Bawaba
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- Al Bawaba
Driving the future with customer choice: GM brings global innovation to the Middle East
Customer choice and preferences drive the transformational investments that General Motors is making to deliver safer, smarter, and cleaner Middle East hosted representatives from the region at the heart of its global operations in Detroit, Michigan. This offered them an inside look at the laboratories and state-of-the-art facilities where groundbreaking technologies that shape the future of mobility are being developed and tested. They also got to meet the people whose passion, ingenuity and talent drives this transformation. Featuring a comprehensive range of GM's EV portfolio from Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC, participants had the opportunity to experience hands-free, eyes-on Super Cruise* technology, enabled by OnStar, and gain insights into the company's proprietary battery and software strategies, showcasing how GM is a pillar of this industries transformation. Rory Harvey, GM executive vice president and president of Global Markets, said that GM is leveraging software, hardware, AI, and sensors to produce safer, smarter, and cleaner vehicles – as the company builds on a century of automotive expertise.'At GM, it all starts with our customers. We offer customers choice – right across our beautifully designed portfolio of new gas-powered vehicles and America's broadest lineup of electric vehicles,' said Harvey.'We're developing advanced driver assistance and autonomous vehicle technology to eliminate human driving error, save lives, and improve mobility for everyone.'Jack Uppal, President and Managing Director, GM Africa and Middle East, said: 'This year is a milestone moment for GM in the Middle East. Our ambition strategy is in full execution with a host of market activities with new and refreshed vehicles offering customer choice of gas powered and electric vehicles. Our OnStar Conectivity offerings across our markets are transforming with new customer experiences and convenience features, which will culminate with the arrival of the industry's first hands-free advanced driver assistance technology Super Cruise – a foundational technology that will transform our customers' experience on the road and how we develop the future of autonomous mobility in a personal this was on full display over in Detroit, allowing our guests to experience tomorrow today and share the knowledge and experience with millions in the region.'Chevrolet - with much-loved nameplates – Equinox and Spark – all going electric, has disrupted the market claiming the spot for the most attainable electric vehicle line-up in the Middle East market, with more offering on the horizon. And, on the performance hypercar side, the thrilling all-wheel Corvette E-ray is the first-ever electrified - with the first-of-its-kind and one of the most advanced vehicles it has ever built, the HUMMER EV SUV and Super Truck – offers customers a powerful drive experience that pushes the boundaries of what full-size EVs can – With the Cadillac OPTIQ already launched across the Middle East, and the upcoming LYRIQ, OPTIQ-V, LYRIQ-V, VISTIQ, ESCALADE IQ, and ESCALADE IQL to follow – is leading GM's electric vehicle expansion globally. OnStar – Powering the connected experience behind each of these vehicles is OnStar, the in-vehicle technology that enables a smoother, smarter and confident EV & AV TECHNOLOGYTo continue to offer more affordable EVs globally, GM has continued to advance its electrification and driver-assistance technologies: • High-manganese (LMR) prismatic battery cells with 33% more energy density than the best lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells—at similar cost. These new cells are slated for U.S. production starting in 2028, with a focus on powering electric pickups and large SUVs.• Super Cruise, enabled by OnStar, is coming soon to the Middle East and will be available across 9 models from Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac - offers hands-free driving, automatic lane changes, and trailering support. • Path to Autonomy is being led by GM's Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) with the Vehicle Intelligence Platform (VIP), which supports over-the-air updates, smart home integration, and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. VIP enables seamless compatibility with services like OnStar**. OnStar services include Google Built-in, myChevrolet, myGMC and myCadillac apps, supports external developers in delivering next-generation in-car experiences.• Artificial Intelligence is playing an increasingly central role in GM's operations. GM announced an expanded partnership with NVIDIA to integrate AI, simulation, and high-performance computing into vehicle development and manufacturing. This includes creating digital twins of production lines to optimize operations through virtual simulations, as well as predictive systems that detect equipment failures in advance—boosting efficiency and safety. Many of these innovations are driven by the GM Technical Center in Warren, Michigan, one of the world's most advanced hubs for engineering and research.* Super Cruise will be available soon in the Middle East. Enabled by OnStar, high-definition road mapping is complete in Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain, and is currently in progress in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Launch plans are underway. ** OnStar Connected vehicle services are currently available in KSA, UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain only. Services vary by vehicle model and require an active service plan, working electrical system, cell reception and GPS signal. See for details and limitations. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba ( Signal PressWire is the world's largest independent Middle East PR distribution service.
Miami Herald
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
General Motors sued by US state over scary privacy invasion
As cars become more technologically advanced, the amount of data they collect about their drivers is becoming downright dystopian. Unlike tech companies that harvest the data from your digital footprint, car companies are harvesting your physical data. Mozilla Foundation's Privacy Not Included data privacy initiative calls modern cars a "privacy nightmare on wheels." Related: Failed Cruise robotaxi experiment gets second life at GM The firm's research shows that popular brands like BMW, Ford, Toyota, Tesla, Kia, and Subaru collect such intimate data as sexual activity, race, facial expressions, weight, health, and genetic information, along with the normal type of driver data one would expect, like GPS data. Mozilla calls Nissan the worst offender because its privacy policy admits that the car will collect sexual activity, health diagnosis, and genetic data. Still, it doesn't specify how the vehicle does all of that. Other bad offenders include Toyota and its 12 different privacy policy documents, Kia, whose privacy policy gives them the right to collect information about your "sex life." What happens to this data? It's often, but not always, sold to interested third parties, whether advertisers or car insurers looking to raise rates. Car data monetization is already big business, but analysts at McKinsey estimate the industry will grow to $750 billion by 2030. Image source:Though the PNI report did not mention General Motors among the worst data privacy offenders, the state of Nebraska is suing over the company's OnStar driver assistance tool. Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hlgers sued General Motors for allegedly collecting and selling driver data to third parties without their consent. "Thousands of Nebraskans have been driving GM vehicles that, unknown to them, surveil and track their vehicle usage data, which GM then sells for profit," the lawsuit states. "Nebraska law requires companies to be honest with consumers about how their products and services collect, use, and sell customer data. GM violated that fundamental duty to deal honestly in Nebraska by selling vehicles designed to surveil and track consumers' use of GM vehicles for the purpose of profiting off the invasion of privacy of unsuspecting vehicle owners." The lawsuit alleges that since at least 2015, OnStar has been recording, analyzing, and transmitting highly specific vehicle usage data. GM then sells that data without the customers' informed consent, violating Nebraska law. Related: General Motors makes $4 billion tariff move GM sold data from over 14 million vehicles, including information about date, start time, end time, vehicle speed, driver and passenger seatbelt status, and distance driven in each instance of a consumer using his or her GM vehicle. GM entered into third-party agreements to create databases known as "telematics exchanges," which allowed them to use the data and assign a personally identifiable "Driving Score." The lawsuit claims that third parties, such as insurance companies, used the exchanges to punish certain customers by denying them coverage or raising rates. "GM's deceptive and unlawful tactics included overwhelming and misleading vehicle purchasers (or lessees) with pages of deceptive, inconspicuous, and materially misleading disclosures about OnStar products, including product descriptions and privacy policies that failed to adequately disclose how GM would use its customers' Driving Data," the lawsuit states. According to the Detroit Free Press, GM generated nearly $2 billion from OnStar in fiscal 2021, with EBIT margins above 70%. General Motors did not immediately return a request for comment. Modern cars are rolling surveillance machines, and car companies don't make it easy to opt out of the matrix. Tesla, for instance, is considered one of the most technologically advanced passenger cars in the world. Still, PNI notes that the company itself says that opting out of certain data collection programs may result in your vehicle suffering from reduced functionality, serious damage, or inoperability. "Many people think of their car as a private space - somewhere to call your doctor, have a personal conversation with your kid on the way to school, cry your eyes out over a break-up, or drive places you might not want the world to know about," said Jen Caltrider, Privacy Not Included program director. "But that perception no longer matches reality. All new cars today are privacy nightmares on wheels that collect huge amounts of personal information." Related: Fire risk recall affects 60,000 vehicles from US car company The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
UPI
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- UPI
Nebraska sues GM, OnStar over selling driver data without consent
July 9 (UPI) -- Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers has filed a lawsuit against General Motors and OnStar, accusing the automaker and its subsidiary company of selling the driving data of Nebraskans, without the drivers' consent, which was then used to affect insurance rates and coverage. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in the Nebraska District Court of Lancaster County, seeking a ruling that the scheme illegal under the state's consumer protection and deceptive trade practices laws, and requesting civil penalties. "Nebraskans deserve to work with companies that are truthful and honest about what they are doing," Hilgers said in a statement. "That is not what happened here, and we filed this lawsuit because one large company decided that it wouldn't honestly tell Nebraskans that their data was going to be used to impact their insurance rates." According to the court document, since at least 2015, GM and OnStar have collected and analyzed vehicle usage data, which they then processed and sold to third parties without consent. Those third parties then sold that information to insurance companies, which could use it against the Nebraskan drivers to increase their insurance rates or outright cancel their policies outright. GM told those third-party companies that vehicle purchasers had consented to the collection and sale of their data, but Nebraska argues that GM used "deceptive, unconscionable and unlawful tactics" to enroll customers in its OnStar data collection services. "GM's deceptive and unlawful tactics included overwhelming and misleading vehicle purchasers (or lessees) with pages of deceptive, inconspicuous and materially misleading disclosures about OnStar products, including product descriptions and privacy policies that failed to adequately disclose how GM would use its customers' driving data," it said. General Motors is a Detroit-based automaker behind iconic American car brands Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC, while its Delaware-based subsidiary, OnStar, is a subscription-based communications company whose services include vehicle security and emergency assistance. The lawsuit states GM had 19 suppliers and 54 car dealerships that sold nearly 18,900 vehicles in Nebraska in 2023. The case comes seven months after the Federal Trade Commission issued its first-ever action related to vehicle data, banning GM, OnStar and its other subsidiaries from disclosing consumers' geolocation and driver behavior data to consumer reporting agencies for five years. In August, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a similar lawsuit to Nebraska's against GM over its selling of Texas drivers' data.
The Hill
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Hill
Nebraska sues GM, OnStar over alleged sale of driver data recorded by vehicle tech
LINCOLN, Kan. (KSNW) — The Nebraska attorney general's office said Tuesday it has filed a lawsuit against General Motors (GM) and OnStar for allegedly collecting, processing and selling sensitive driving data from Nebraskans without their knowledge or consent. State Attorney General Mike Hilgers accuses GM and OnStar of installing telematics systems in their vehicles that collect data, including speed, seatbelt usage, driving habits, and location. That data was then allegedly sold to third-party data brokers who used it to create driving scores for individual drivers. Those scores were then sold to insurance companies, who used them to raise rates, deny coverage or cancel policies, according to the lawsuit. Nebraska drivers were never informed that their data was being collected or used against them. Among the key allegations: 'Nebraskans deserve to work with companies that are truthful and honest about what they are doing,' says Attorney General Hilgers. 'That is not what happened here, and we filed this lawsuit because one large company decided that it wouldn't honestly tell Nebraskans that their data was going to be used to impact their insurance rates. This is wrong. Our office will hold companies that mislead Nebraskans accountable, no matter how large.' You can read the full complaint below. When asked for comment on the lawsuit, a spokesperson for GM told Nexstar's KSNW, 'We remain committed to protecting consumers' privacy and will conduct a review of the complaint.' Nebraska is seeking civil penalties, restitution for affected Nebraskans, and an injunction to prevent GM and OnStar from continuing these practices in the state. GM is not the only company accused of misusing telematics programs. A 2024 investigation by the New York Times found instances of drivers who had not knowingly opted in to a telematics program being tracked. Data recorded without their consent was sold to third parties, sometimes resulting in a spike in insurance premiums, according to the Times.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Nebraska sues General Motors for allegedly collecting, selling driver data without consent
Attorney General Mike Hilgers speaks during a news conference in Lincoln. May 13, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers on Tuesday announced that his office is suing General Motors for allegedly collecting and selling data on drivers without their consent for at least the past decade. The 40-page lawsuit, filed Tuesday morning in Lancaster County District Court, alleges that Michigan-based General Motors and associated OnStar products collected driver data and sold it to third-party companies without drivers' consent since at least 2015. In turn, that data would be sold to insurance companies, sometimes leading to increased rates or canceled insurance. Collected data allegedly included how fast someone was driving, how hard stops were, geolocation and whether seat belts were worn. 'We know that you can actually do what these insurance companies and what companies like GM want to do legally, through consent, through notice, through disclosures,' Hilgers told reporters. 'It's not what they did here.' The lawsuit alleges an 'aggressive, concerted effort' to enroll purchasers into GM products, which Hilgers said led to some drivers being opted into the products without their consent in what he termed 'emotional blackmail' — that OnStar and other services were necessary for family or personal safety or that the data wouldn't be shared except in 'limited circumstances.' According to the lawsuit, General Motors has 54 dealerships in Nebraska, does business with 19 Nebraska suppliers and has 16 Nebraska-based employees. While Hilgers couldn't say how many Nebraskans were impacted over the past 10 years, the lawsuit says GM delivered nearly 19,000 vehicles to the state in 2023. General Motors began partnering with car insurance companies in 2005, the lawsuit continues, to allow drivers to opt in for data collection so they could receive a discount for 'good' driving. But Hilgers' office says such devices became 'unnecessary' over time even as the products have been installed by default in almost all new GM vehicles since 2015. Hilgers said an attorney in his office combed through all of GM's privacy terms and conditions and found 'nothing that we think clears up what we think is very misleading, very deceptive activity.' The Nebraska Examiner has reached out to General Motors for comment on Hilgers' lawsuit. The company had no immediate reply. Asked whether Hilgers' office had contacted GM or OnStar before Tuesday, Hilgers said: 'They're aware of our investigation.' He said part of the lawsuit seeks to understand the 'full scope' of how Nebraskans were harmed to craft a remedy specific to those consumers. The lawsuit by the Nebraska Attorney General's Office follows a nearly identical lawsuit by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed in August. The Federal Trade Commission also proposed a settlement against GM in January. The company said it would 'go above and beyond existing law' but mirror new protections the company had been rolling out to give customers 'more transparency and control.' FTC Chair Lina Khan in January said GM collected data sometimes as often as every three seconds. The FTC has not yet voted to finalize the settlement order, a spokesperson confirmed Tuesday. The Nebraska lawsuit alleges 'deceptive' and 'unconscionable' trade practices by GM and asks for a jury trial with the following requested relief: Civil penalties of $2,000 per violation of Nebraska's Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act or its Consumer Protection Act. A permanent ban on GM and others engaging in such conduct. Any money acquired as a result of the violations to be restored to impacted consumers. State legal fees. 'Any other relief' the court deems 'just and equitable.' In addition to the AG's Office, Nebraska is working with three attorneys based out of Seattle and Houston from the Susman Godfrey law firm. 'We filed this lawsuit because one large company decided that it wouldn't honestly tell Nebraskans that their data was going to be used to impact their insurance rates. This is wrong,' Hilgers said. 'Our office will hold companies that mislead Nebraskans accountable, no matter how large.' nebraska-v-gm-court-filing SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
