Hyundai class action alleges company sells driver data to broker

Hyundai driver data class action overview: 

• Who: Plaintiff Mark Will is suing Hyundai and Kia.
• Why: Will claims the auto companies shared drivers’ information without permission.
• Where: The Hyundai class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court.

An Illinois man is suing Hyundai and Kia over allegations the auto companies have been selling data about the driving behavior of millions of people without their knowledge or consent.

Plaintiff Mark Will filed the class action complaint against Hyundai Motor Co., Hyundai Motor America, Kia Corp., Kia America Inc. and Verisk Analytics Inc. on July 29 in a California federal court, alleging violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Invasion of privacy for unwitting drivers

According to the lawsuit, Hyundai Kia vehicles feature “connected car” services such as UVO Connect, Kia Connect, Bluelink, and Bluelink+. These technologies are marketed as providing emergency services, promoting safe driving and enabling over-the-air emergency software updates. 

However, Will claims that these services also collect extensive driving data, including trip reports and “hard braking” events, which Hyundai and Kia do not disclose in their marketing materials.

He alleges that Hyundai and Kia have been selling this driving data to the insurance industry without informing affected drivers. He says Verisk, a data broker, buys Hyundai and Kia’s driver data, performs risk analyses on individual drivers, and sells the data to auto insurance companies. 

“This invasion of privacy occurred without Hyundai Kia drivers’ knowledge or consent,” Will says. “As a result, in addition to their loss of privacy, Hyundai Kia drivers have seen their auto insurance premiums increase and have had trouble securing coverage.”

Plaintiff says insurance premiums increased

Will, who purchased a new 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe and has an active Bluelink subscription, claims he was unaware that his driving data was being shared. 

His Verisk report shows that Hyundai shared his driving behavior with Verisk between December 2023 and April 2024, he says. As a result, he believes his auto insurance premiums increased by approximately $250.

Will is seeking to represent all individuals whose Hyundai and Kia vehicles collected and shared driving data with LexisNexis or Verisk. He is seeking certification of the class action, damages, fees, costs, and a jury trial.

Earlier this month, Hyundai Motor America issued a recall for more than 50,000 vehicles over concerns they were equipped with fuel pumps that could fail, resulting in a loss of drive power. 

What do you think of this class action against Hyundai? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Christopher L. Springer, Derek W. Loeser, Gretchen Freeman Cappio, Cari C. Laufenberg and Ryan P. McDevitt of Keller Rohrback LLP.

The Hyundai driver data class action lawsuit is Mark Will v. Hyundai Motor Company et al., Case No. 8:24-cv-01653 in a U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

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