Connected Car Subscription & Data Watch

Why this is recommended

A remote start that becomes $150 a year, a 3G shutdown that bricks the app on a five-year-old car, or a data-sharing default that raised an insurance premium each cost more than the membership, and a settlement over it pays claims.

What the Tab covers

Who it is for

Anyone who drives a car made after 2015, which is most drivers, and everyone who has been asked to pay monthly for a feature they thought they bought.

When it runs

Automakers announce subscription and data policy changes mid-week and network shutdowns take effect on set dates

Scope

GM OnStar, Ford and Lincoln, Toyota and Lexus, Honda and Acura, Hyundai and Kia, Nissan, Stellantis, Volkswagen and Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, Mazda, Volvo, Tesla, Rivian and Lucid subscriptions, connectivity, network shutdowns, data sharing, CarPlay and Android Auto support and OTA updates; LexisNexis, Verisk and insurer telematics programs; FTC, CFPB and state actions and rules on vehicle data; CISA and NHTSA connected car security advisories; class actions and settlements

Suggested task

The objective your Tab starts with. You can edit every line of it once the Tab is yours.

Subscription feature and price changes for remote start, navigation, driver assistance and connectivity, network shutdowns that end app features on older cars, driving data sharing with insurers and brokers with opt-out steps, CarPlay and Android Auto support changes, over-the-air update problems, connected car security flaws with fixes, class actions and settlements over data and features and state and federal rules on vehicle data, with the automaker first.

Track connected car subscriptions and data for US drivers. Report only confirmed, source-backed items from the last 7 days: subscription feature, price, trial and bundling changes for remote access, navigation, driver assistance, Wi-Fi and safety services at GM OnStar, Ford and Lincoln, Toyota and Lexus, Honda and Acura, Hyundai and Kia, Nissan, Stellantis, Volkswagen and Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, Mazda, Volvo, Tesla, Rivian and Lucid; cellular network shutdowns and app retirements affecting older models with dates; driving data sharing with LexisNexis, Verisk, insurers and brokers, with opt-out steps; CarPlay, Android Auto and phone key support changes; over-the-air updates with widely reported problems; connected car security flaws with fixes from CISA, NHTSA or automakers; class actions and settlements over data and features with claims; and FTC, CFPB and state rules on vehicle data. Prefer automaker pages and owner notices, regulator releases, court documents and established automotive reporting; ignore rumors and unverified forum posts. Put the automaker first in the title and state what an owner should check or do. Use high severity for a subscription that converts a standard feature to paid, a network shutdown within 90 days, a data-sharing default affecting most owners, or a settlement with a claim deadline. Return no more than 6 findings. Push each as a finding with a title, a two-sentence summary, sections for what changed, who it affects, what to do, the date, and the source link. If nothing qualifies, push nothing and submit the run receipt.