Kia class action alleges automaker collects, shares driver data without consent

Kia class action overview: 

• Who: Plaintiff Jacquelyn Vaughn filed a class action lawsuit against Kia America, Kia Corp. and LexisNexis Risk Solutions. 
• Why: In her Kia data sharing class action, Vaughn accuses Kia of collecting driver data without full consent and sharing it with LexisNexis, which she in turn accuses of selling the data to third-party companies such as insurance companies.
• Where: The Kia driver data class action was filed in federal court in Pennsylvania.

A consumer filed a new Kia class action lawsuit claiming the automaker collects driver data and sells it to third-party companies such as LexisNexis Risk Solutions without drivers’ full consent.

Plaintiff Jacquelyn Vaughn’s Kia data sharing lawsuit alleges insurance companies then purchase the data and use it to raise customers’ rates.

The Kia driver data includes average speed; percentage of time one drives at speeds greater than 80 mph; frequency and intensity of acceleration and braking; and late-night driving, according to the Kia class action.

“The net result is every entity in this clandestine series of transactions is profiting from the sale of drivers’ data, while drivers themselves not only do not see a penny from the sale of their own data, but often see their insurance quotes or premiums inexplicably go up,” the Kia class action says.

Vehicles sold as early as 2018 capable of Kia data sharing, Kia driver data lawsuit says

Vaughn is asking for economic damages and injunctive relief for drivers whose behavior data was captured, stored and/or transferred or sold without full notice or consent.

Vehicles from as early as model year 2018 are capable of collecting Kia driver data, according to the Kia class action. Kia has claimed it does not collect driver data without consent, but the class action claims “Kia can track, store, and share driver behavior data whether or not a driver consents or not.”

Drivers were not fully informed that the data would be collected, sold and used by insurance companies when determining rates, the Kia class action lawsuit alleges.

General Motors and OnStar are similar accused of collecting driver information without consent and sharing it with LexisNexis Risk Solutions, affecting drivers’ auto insurance premiums, according to a recent class action lawsuit.

Do you drive a Kia vehicle that could collect data about your driving? What do you think of the Kia data sharing class action? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Ruben Honik and David J. Stanoch of Honik LLC.

The Kia driver data class action lawsuit is Vaughn v. Kia America Inc., et al., Case No. 2:24-cv-01473-JFM, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

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