A federal class action complaint filed this week in Texas accuses Toyota Motor Company and its subsidiary Connected Analytic Services (CAS) of illegally collecting and selling comprehensive driver data to Progressive insurance without appropriate consent. The litigation alleges systematic privacy violations through unauthorized data sharing with Progressive’s Snapshot driving monitoring program.

Lead plaintiff Philip Siefke discovered that Progressive possessed detailed driving information from his Toyota RAV4, including vehicle location, speed patterns, braking behavior, and cornering data, despite his explicit withdrawal from the Snapshot program. The lawsuit contends that Toyota and CAS collected this sensitive information through connected vehicle technology and transmitted it to Progressive without providing adequate disclosure or obtaining proper consent from affected drivers.

The complaint directly challenges Toyota’s public statements, citing a 2022 press release asserting that driver data would only be shared upon customers’ express request. Plaintiffs argue this promise was systematically violated, resulting in privacy breaches and diminished value of personal data. The legal action seeks both monetary damages and injunctive relief to prevent continued unauthorized data collection and sharing practices.

This case highlights emerging legal issues surrounding connected vehicle technology, data privacy rights, and the intersection of automotive manufacturers with insurance industry data utilization practices.