Drivers leave personal data in cars they sell, study finds
MOTORISTS who link their smartphone to a hire car risk handing their contact numbers and addresses to the next driver if the system is not properly wiped, experts have warned.
Synchronising a handset to vehicles allows users to do things such as play their own music, download contacts and messages, and retrieve live traffic and navigation information, as well as making hands -free calls or send messages. However, failure to wipe data from a car before selling it risks inadvertently giving away personal information to any future owners.
A survey by Which? of more than 14,000 motorists who had sold their vehicles in the last two years found that 54 per cent made use of such features via their phone. The results suggested that more than half, 51 per cent, had not tried to unsync their phones before parting with their cars, and almost a third, 31 per cent, said that they had taken no action at all to remove their information from their vehicles.
In the study, nearly four fifths, 79 per cent, of vehicle owners did not follow instructions in car manuals to remove data and return their cars to factory settings before selling, despite this being the best way to ensure no personal details are left on operating systems.
Neil Greig, the director of policy and research at road safety charity IAM Roadsmart, said: “It’s simply not worth the risk of syncing your phone if you only have a car for a short time. If your time or journey with the car is longer then it may be worth it to allow safer hands free contact and other features, but you simply never know who might be the next person to view your data.”
Harry Rose, the editor of Which? magazine, said: “If cars are not treated the same as a smartphone, tablet or other connected devices when it comes to data security, motorists risk giving away a treasure trove of information about themselves when they decide to sell their cars.
“Manufacturers must do more to prioritise customers’ personal privacy so drivers fully understand how much data their vehicle could be harbouring.”