Ford Owners Gain Control Over Connected Car Data
Owners of Ford vehicles built in 2018 or later can adjust data sharing from the vehicle screen or the Ford app.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Car Maintenance
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Ford has unveiled a Privacy Promise describing how it collects, uses, and lets owners control data from its connected vehicles. Owners of Ford vehicles built in 2018 or later can adjust their settings from the vehicle's screen, though opting out disables some connected features.
Why it matters
Connected cars gather diagnostics, driving characteristics, and location data, and most owners may not know what their car collects. Ford says it wants owners to be able to control that data, and that privacy has become a factor in vehicle choice for a large share of buyers.
Ford says it will never sell driving data to brokers or insurers and that it anonymizes or groups data to reduce exposure of personal information. Owners of vehicles built in 2018 or later can manage privacy settings at any time.
The players
Ford Motor Company
A major automaker whose connected vehicles and Ford app now carry the company's new Privacy Promise for owners.
The details
Ford says its connected vehicles collect diagnostics, driving characteristics, and location data, which it uses to power embedded navigation, real-time traffic updates, and Roadside Assistance. Owners can adjust what they share through the vehicle's center display or the Ford app. Turning off connected services can disable BlueCruise, internet connectivity, and vehicle location services, and real-time navigation and built-in roadside assistance may stop working.
Timeline
Ford published its Privacy Promise on 2 November 2026.
Lincoln and Mexico/Canada privacy resources roll out in the coming weeks.
The Home Front
Connected-vehicle data sharing now sits beside household digital services, where owners have growing expectations about controlling what is collected. Privacy controls for connected products are becoming a point of comparison for buyers, much as they are for smart-home devices.
If you own a Ford built in 2018 or later, open the vehicle's center display or the Ford app and review your privacy settings. Before opting out, note that BlueCruise, connectivity, and location services may stop working.
The takeaway
Your connected car collects more data than many owners realize, so check the privacy settings on your vehicle's screen or in the Ford app. Weigh the convenience of navigation and roadside assistance against how much you want shared.
What happens next
Privacy resources for Lincoln owners and for owners in Mexico and Canada are scheduled to roll out in the coming weeks.
Further reading
For broader background on keeping a connected vehicle running well, see Car Maintenance guidance.
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Do you trust car companies to protect the driving data they collect from you?
