Understanding Connected Car Cybersecurity Before You Buy

Short answer: To judge connected car cybersecurity before buying, check five things for each vehicle. First, how long and how the manufacturer delivers security updates. Second, how remote access through the app and account is protected. Third, which connected services are active and what they depend on. Fourth, how the infotainment system handles phones and accounts. Fifth, what personal data the car collects and shares, and what control you have over it. Record the same facts for every listing, mark each one as confirmed, unknown or a drawback, then weigh them against your own priorities. No single car is the right choice for every buyer. A feature that matters a lot to one driver may be irrelevant to another.

What does connected car cybersecurity mean for a buyer?

For a buyer, connected car cybersecurity means one thing. It is how well a vehicle's software, wireless connections and linked online accounts are protected against misuse, and how well your personal data is handled. A connected car typically has a built-in mobile data connection, a companion smartphone app, and an infotainment system that pairs with phones. Many also receive vehicle software updates. Each of these is useful. Each is also a path that needs protection.

You cannot test a car's security yourself on a forecourt, and you should not try. What you can do is collect the information that shows how seriously the security side is handled. That means update policy, account controls, privacy settings and what happens when ownership changes. Then you compare it consistently across the cars you are considering.

Which connected-car security differences actually matter?

The differences that matter most are the ones that affect your safety, your control over the car, and your personal data over the years you own it. Cosmetic differences in app design or screen size matter far less. The factors below are the ones worth recording for every listing.

Security updates and vehicle software support

Security updates are fixes the manufacturer releases to close weaknesses in vehicle software. They are the most important long-term factor, because software that stops being updated becomes more exposed over time. Record three things for each car:

• Delivery method: over-the-air (OTA) updates installed remotely, updates installed only at a dealer, or a mix of both.
• Which systems are covered: some cars update only maps or infotainment over the air. Others can also update control systems.
• Support period: whether the manufacturer states, in years, how long the model will receive security updates. Many manufacturers do not publish this. In that case, record it as unknown rather than guessing.

For a used car, also check whether available updates have actually been installed. A car that supports updates but has missed several is less well protected than its specification suggests.

Remote access and account security

Remote access means controlling or monitoring the car from a phone app or website. Typical functions include locking, unlocking, locating, pre-heating or starting it. The protection of this access depends mostly on the account behind the app. Useful things to look for:

• Whether the account supports two-factor or multi-factor sign-in.
• Whether you can see which phones and users have access, and remove them.
• Whether you can turn off individual remote functions you do not want, such as remote unlocking.
• Whether digital keys or phone-as-key features can be revoked if a phone is lost.

Connected services and what they depend on

Connected services are the online features tied to a vehicle's data connection. Examples include emergency calling, breakdown assistance, live traffic, remote control and stolen-vehicle tracking. Two questions matter for comparison. Which services are included, and for how long, before a subscription is needed? And can you switch off optional services while keeping the ones you value? Some regions also require certain emergency-call functions by law, so they may not be optional.

Infotainment security and phone pairing

Infotainment security covers how the central screen system handles paired phones, stored contacts, messages, navigation history and third-party apps. The practical checks for a buyer are simple. Can you see and delete paired devices? Can you clear stored personal data? Does the system have a full reset to factory settings? On a used car, the infotainment system often still holds the previous owner's phone and history. That data is a privacy issue for them, and it also tells you whether the car was properly prepared for sale.

Data privacy: collection, sharing and control

Data privacy in a connected car concerns what the vehicle and its services collect and who receives it. Collected data can include location, driving behaviour, voice commands and data from your phone. Compare listings on:

• Which data categories the manufacturer's privacy policy says are collected.
• Whether data is shared with third parties, such as insurers, data brokers or advertisers, and whether that sharing is opt-in or opt-out.
• Whether you can turn off location tracking or data sharing in the car or app without losing essential functions.
• Whether you can request a copy of your data or ask for it to be deleted.

Privacy rights differ by country and region, so the same model may offer different controls depending on where it is sold.

Regulatory context

In some markets, regulation sets a baseline for new vehicles. For example, UN Regulation No. 155 covers cybersecurity management, and No. 156 covers software update management. These apply to new vehicle types in markets that adopt them. Meeting such rules shows that a manufacturer has processes in place. It does not tell you how long a particular model will be supported or how much data it shares. Treat compliance as a starting point, not as a full answer. Check which rules apply where you buy.

How do you keep details from different listings side by side?

The simplest way is a single worksheet. Each car gets a column and each security or privacy factor gets a row. Fill in the same rows for every listing, even when the answer is unknown. A spreadsheet, a notes app or paper all work. What matters is that every car is judged on the same rows, so a gap is visible instead of forgotten.

Use a template like the one below. Replace the placeholder columns with your own listings. Add a status for each cell: Confirmed OK, Drawback or Unknown.

Factor	What to record	Where to find it	Listing A	Listing B	Listing C
Update method	OTA, dealer-only or mixed; which systems are covered	Manufacturer specifications, owner's manual, seller
Update support period	Stated number of years, or not published	Manufacturer statements, warranty documents
Update status (used cars)	Current software version; whether pending updates exist	Car settings menu, service records, dealer
Account protection	Multi-factor sign-in available; user and device management	App store description, app settings, manufacturer support pages
Remote functions	Which functions exist; whether each can be disabled	App, owner's manual
Connected services	Included services, included period, subscription costs	Seller, manufacturer service terms
Infotainment data controls	Delete paired devices, clear data, factory reset	Car settings, owner's manual
Data collection	Categories collected (location, driving behaviour, voice)	Manufacturer privacy policy
Third-party sharing	Who receives data; opt-in or opt-out	Privacy policy, app privacy settings
Ownership transfer	Previous owner removed from account and car	Seller confirmation, app, car settings
Your notes	Anything specific to your situation	Your own observations

Add your own information alongside the listing details. Useful extras include how you park (street or private garage), whether you would use remote functions at all, and whether others will drive the car and need app access. These personal facts change how much each row matters.

How do you tell missing information from a genuine drawback?

Missing information means you do not yet know the answer. A genuine drawback means you know the answer and it is unfavourable. The two need different responses. Missing information calls for a question to the seller or manufacturer. A drawback calls for a decision about whether you can accept it.

• Unknown: A listing does not mention software updates at all. This does not mean the car lacks them. Ask before drawing a conclusion.
• Drawback: The manufacturer confirms that updates are dealer-only and that a model has reached the end of its update support. That is a known limitation.
• Unknown that may become a drawback: A seller cannot say whether the previous owner's app account has been removed. Until they confirm it, record it as unknown. If they cannot or will not resolve it, treat it as a drawback.

Two habits keep the comparison fair. First, never fill a gap with an assumption, whether positive or negative. Write "unknown" and note who you will ask. Second, do not let a well-described listing look better simply because it says more. A listing that lists many connected features is not more secure than one that lists few. It is only more detailed. Compare confirmed facts with confirmed facts.

When an unknown cannot be resolved before you must decide, ask yourself one question: if the answer turns out to be unfavourable, could you live with it? If not, treat it as a risk against that car.

How do you compare options against your own priorities?

You compare connected cars against your priorities by deciding, before you look at scores, which factors matter most to you and which are deal-breakers. Follow these steps:

1. List your uses. Write down which connected features you would actually use, for example remote pre-heating, phone-as-key or live navigation, and which you would never touch.
2. Set deal-breakers. Choose any factor that would rule a car out on its own. Examples: no way to remove a previous owner's access, or no option to stop third-party data sharing.
3. Weight the rest. Give each remaining factor a weight, such as 1 (minor), 2 (important) or 3 (essential), based on your own situation.
4. Rate each listing. For every confirmed fact, rate it good, acceptable or poor. Keep unknowns separate rather than scoring them.
5. Combine and review. Multiply ratings by weights for a rough total. Then look at the unknowns that remain for each car before deciding.

The weighting step is where buyers legitimately differ. A driver who wants minimal data collection might weight data privacy at 3 and remote access at 1. A driver who relies on remote pre-heating every winter morning might reverse those weights. Both approaches are reasonable.

What trade-offs come up in practice?

Connected car cybersecurity rarely produces a clear winner. More connected features usually bring more convenience, more data collection and more accounts to secure. The hypothetical examples below are illustrations, not descriptions of real listings.

Example 1: Frequent updates versus extensive data sharing

Car A receives over-the-air updates to most of its systems. Its privacy policy, however, allows data sharing with partners unless you opt out. Car B has fewer connected services and collects less data, but needs dealer visits for software updates. A buyer who values staying current with fixes and is willing to adjust privacy settings might lean towards Car A. A buyer who wants as little data leaving the car as possible, and who services the car at a dealer regularly anyway, might reasonably prefer Car B.

Example 2: Convenient remote access versus a smaller attack surface

One car offers remote unlocking and phone-as-key. Another offers only remote climate control and location. If you will never use remote unlocking, the extra feature adds little value. It is worth checking whether it can be disabled. If you share a car within a household and need flexible digital keys, the same feature may be essential. In that case, account protection and key management become the rows to scrutinise.

Example 3: Lower price versus unresolved ownership questions

A used car is priced attractively, but the seller cannot confirm that the previous owner's account has been unlinked. That is an unknown, not yet a drawback. If the seller or a dealer can complete the transfer before purchase, the issue disappears. If they cannot, the risk of a former owner keeping remote access becomes a real factor to weigh against the price.

What should you ask the seller or manufacturer?

Asking specific questions is the most reliable way to turn unknowns into confirmed facts. Useful questions include:

• Does this model receive security updates over the air, at a dealer, or both? For how many more years is support expected?
• Is the car's software up to date? Are any updates pending?
• Which connected services are included, for how long, and what do they cost after that?
• Does the companion app support multi-factor sign-in? Can individual remote functions be switched off?
• What data does the car collect? Can I opt out of third-party sharing and still keep essential services?
• For a used car: has the previous owner been removed from the app account and the car? Has the infotainment system been reset?

Note who answered and when. An answer from the manufacturer's documentation is usually firmer than a verbal answer at the point of sale.

What extra checks apply to a used connected car?

A used connected car needs one additional check: confirming that the previous owner no longer has access to the car or its data. Before or at handover:

1. Ask the seller to remove the car from their manufacturer app account, or to complete the manufacturer's ownership transfer process.
2. Check the infotainment system for paired phones, saved addresses and stored accounts, and confirm they can be deleted.
3. Confirm that all physical keys and any digital keys are accounted for, and that unused digital keys can be revoked.
4. After purchase, set up your own account. Then review the list of authorised users and devices and change any default settings you are not comfortable with.

Record each step in your worksheet. A car that cannot be fully transferred to you is a different proposition from one that can.

How do you build a clear shortlist?

A clear shortlist contains only cars that pass your deal-breakers and have no unknowns serious enough to change your decision. To build it:

1. Remove any listing with a confirmed deal-breaker.
2. For each remaining listing, send your questions about the unknowns that carry the highest weight for you.
3. Update the worksheet as answers arrive, changing "unknown" to "confirmed OK" or "drawback".
4. Remove listings where important questions remain unanswered and the possible downside is unacceptable to you.
5. Rank the remaining cars using your weighted ratings. Then weigh connected car cybersecurity alongside your other buying criteria, such as price, condition and practicality.

The result is a short list of cars whose security and privacy trade-offs you understand and have chosen to accept. The best fit depends on how you will use the car and which risks you care about most.