As Ford prepares to introduce a new generation of more connected vehicles, the automaker announced a public "privacy promise" and launched a website aimed at explaining how it collects, uses and shares vehicle data. The company said the commitment is meant to protect customers' vehicle data and give owners greater control over what they share.
Why now?
Ford is preparing to roll out models built on its upcoming "universal electric vehicle" platform, a move that will increase the level of connectivity in its cars. Kristin Jones, Ford's chief privacy officer, told TechCrunch that it is important to make the company's data practices clear to customers and to make an explicit commitment to them. She also framed the effort as an opportunity to educate owners about how they share data.
Consumer concerns and regulatory context
The announcement comes amid broader unease and limited consumer understanding about vehicle data collection: polls referenced in the report show only 14% of U.S. customers say they fully understand what data their vehicle collects. That lack of awareness has allowed some companies to sell data to third parties, a practice that prompted scrutiny of General Motors by the Federal Trade Commission and culminated in a $220 million settlement with 36 states last week.
Those concerns have also opened a marketing angle for other companies. For example, Slate Auto, an EV startup backed by Jeff Bezos, has promoted its approach to data privacy ahead of an expected launch of a minimalist pickup later this year.
What Ford's site and promise include
Ford's new website provides explanations of what data the company collects, how it uses that information, and how customers can opt in or out of specific data sharing. Jones said the controls themselves have existed for years, but Ford wants to communicate them more clearly as more connected vehicles arrive.
She cautioned that opting out of some data sharing will make certain modern features unavailable. For instance, disabling "connected services" in a Ford will turn off real-time navigation and built-in access to roadside assistance.
How Ford says it uses data
Ford says vehicle health data can give owners better real-time information about maintenance needs and also support research and development for future technologies. Jones emphasized that Ford does not share information about how customers drive their vehicles with data brokers, and insisted the company is not trying to monetize data through such channels: "We're trying to offer products and services that customers derive value from."
Jones also noted that Ford conducted a survey of 1,000 consumers, and according to her, 91% of respondents said data privacy was an important consideration — a point she used to underline the need for clearer communication and customer control.
Bottom line
Ford's privacy push is both a transparency and education effort ahead of the launch of more connected electric vehicles. The automaker aims to reassure customers about data use, provide clearer control options, and explain the functional reasons it requests access to certain vehicle information.
