South Dakota will receive $2,600,792 from a multistate settlement with General Motors over allegations that the automaker shared drivers’ personal information with outside companies, state Attorney General Marty Jackley said.
The state is one of 36 states participating in the agreement, which addresses GM’s Smart Driver Program. The program enrolled millions of motorists across the country between 2016 and 2024 and collected information related to how and where vehicles were driven.
Data shared with insurance industry
Investigators alleged GM provided the information to data brokers. Those companies then shared the data with insurers, prosecutors said. The information included driving habits and location details and was used in part to help assess insurance rates.
State investigators also alleged that consumers were not adequately told their driving information could be used for insurance-related decisions. The allegations concern the handling of data collected through GM’s connected-vehicle services and the Smart Driver program.
- Consumers can request a copy of data GM collected about them.
- Consumers can ask GM to delete the information.
- Drivers can disable the collection of precise location and driving-behavior data.
- GM must obtain express permission before collecting or sharing that information.
Money goes to consumer protection
South Dakota’s payment will be deposited in the state’s Consumer Protection Fund. Under state law, the money can be used for litigation costs, consumer-protection work and other authorized purposes.
Jackley said the agreement is designed to strengthen privacy safeguards for South Dakota motorists. The settlement also gives consumers control over whether covered driving and location information continues to be collected and provides a process for obtaining or removing data already gathered.
