GM OnStar Data Privacy Lawsuit: Where the Case Stands
General Motors quietly shared OnStar Smart Driver data — hard-braking events, speed, location, trip history — with data brokers LexisNexis Risk Solutions and Verisk Analytics, who turned it into insurance risk scores that some drivers say spiked their premiums or got them denied coverage. The practice came to light in a March 2024 New York Times investigation. Since then: a federal multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 3115) is underway in Georgia, the FTC has ordered GM to stop and delete the data (but pay nothing to consumers), California fined GM $12.75 million, and Texas has its own pending lawsuit. As of August 2026, there is still no class action settlement and no claim form to file.
Editorially Reviewed — Content reviewed for accuracy using published legal research, government data, and verified court records. See our methodology
Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What GM and OnStar Are Accused Of
Starting with the OnStar Smart Driver feature (available on many 2015-and-newer Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac vehicles), GM collected detailed driving-behavior data — hard-braking events, hard acceleration, speeds over 80 mph, trip distance, time of day, and GPS location — tied to individual drivers and VINs. According to California's Attorney General, GM sold roughly $20 million worth of this data to consumer-reporting agencies LexisNexis Risk Solutions and Verisk Analytics between 2020 and 2024, who packaged it into driver-risk scores sold on to auto insurers. Plaintiffs allege GM told OnStar subscribers their data would not be sold and would only be used for OnStar services — while doing exactly that. Lawsuits claim some drivers saw insurance premiums rise, or were denied coverage, based on scores built from data they never knowingly agreed to share.
Case Details
In re: Consumer Vehicle Driving Data Tracking Litigation, MDL No. 3115, Case No. 1:24-md-03115-TWT, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (Hon. Thomas W. Thrash Jr.). The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated more than two dozen separate lawsuits against GM, OnStar, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, and Verisk Analytics into this single MDL on June 6, 2024. No settlement administrator or official settlement website exists — there is no settlement to administer yet.
Current Status: Discovery, Not Settlement
Who's Affected — and What You Can Do Right Now
The MDL potentially covers owners and lessees of GM vehicles (Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, Cadillac) who enrolled in OnStar Smart Driver roughly between 2015 and April 2024 — estimated at up to 16 million drivers nationwide, though that figure is a rough estimate, not an official class count. There is no claim to file yet — no class has been certified and no settlement exists, so signing up anywhere in connection with this case is premature. What you can actually do today: request your free LexisNexis Consumer Disclosure Report at consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com and your free Verisk disclosure at fcra.verisk.com or by calling 1-800-627-3487, to see what driving data was collected on you. Check your OnStar app's data-sharing settings, and keep records of any insurance premium increase or coverage denial you believe was tied to a driver-risk score — that documentation could matter if you're ever part of a certified class.
How Much Could You Get? Honestly, Nobody Knows
Timeline: From Smart Driver to Federal MDL
- 1
2015–2024 — OnStar Smart Driver Collects Driving Data
GM's OnStar Smart Driver feature, offered on many Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac vehicles, tracks hard-braking, acceleration, speed, and location. California's AG later found GM sold roughly $20 million worth of this data to brokers between 2020 and 2024.
- 2
March 2024 — New York Times Investigation
Reporter Kashmir Hill reveals that GM has been sharing OnStar Smart Driver data with LexisNexis Risk Solutions and Verisk Analytics, who turn it into insurance risk scores — without drivers realizing it.
- 3
March–April 2024 — GM Ends Data Sales; First Lawsuits Filed
GM stops sharing data with LexisNexis and Verisk on March 20, 2024, and discontinues Smart Driver's connection to those brokers entirely by late April. The first class action lawsuits are filed within weeks.
- 4
June 6, 2024 — Cases Consolidated Into MDL No. 3115
The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation centralizes more than two dozen lawsuits before Judge Thomas W. Thrash Jr. in the Northern District of Georgia. A master consolidated complaint follows on December 13, 2024.
- 5
January 2025 – January 2026 — FTC Investigates and Orders GM to Stop
The FTC proposes an order in January 2025 and finalizes it on January 14, 2026: a five-year ban on sharing driver data with consumer-reporting agencies, mandatory deletion of existing data within 180 days, and a 20-year consent requirement — but no compensation for consumers.
- 6
May 2026 — Case Survives Dismissal; California Fines GM $12.75M
On May 3, 2026, Judge Thrash allows more than 40 claims to proceed to discovery. Days later, on May 8, 2026, California announces a $12.75 million CCPA penalty against GM — the largest in state history, but paid to the state, not drivers. As of August 2026, the federal case remains active with no settlement.
Scam Alert: There Is No Settlement to Claim — Yet
Because this case has made national headlines, it's already attracting scammers who exploit the confusion between 'lawsuit filed' and 'settlement paying out.' Three patterns to watch for:
"File your GM OnStar settlement claim now"
There is no settlement, no claim form, and no administrator for MDL No. 3115 as of August 2026. Any website, email, or text urging you to "file your claim" or "check your payout" for this case is either confused or lying — bookmark official court records instead of trusting a random link.
Phishing emails posing as LexisNexis or Verisk
Legitimate consumer disclosure requests only go through consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com or fcra.verisk.com / 1-800-627-3487. Scammers send lookalike "your driving data report is ready" emails to harvest your Social Security number or account logins. Never click a link in an unsolicited email — type the address in yourself.
"Pay a fee to join the class" callers
You never pay money to be part of a class action — not to "register," not to "secure your spot," not to "guarantee" a payout. Anyone cold-calling or texting about this case and asking for an upfront fee or your bank details is running a scam. Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
GM OnStar Data Privacy Lawsuit FAQ
Is there a GM OnStar data privacy settlement right now?
No. As of August 2026, MDL No. 3115 is in active discovery with no class certified and no settlement reached. There is no claim form, no settlement fund, and no payout amount — anything claiming otherwise online is not accurate.
What is MDL No. 3115?
It's the federal multidistrict litigation — In re: Consumer Vehicle Driving Data Tracking Litigation, Case No. 1:24-md-03115-TWT — consolidating more than two dozen lawsuits against GM, OnStar, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, and Verisk Analytics before Judge Thomas W. Thrash Jr. in the Northern District of Georgia since June 6, 2024.
Did GM actually sell my driving data, and how can I check?
If you had OnStar Smart Driver enrolled on a Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, or Cadillac roughly between 2015 and 2024, your data may have been included — California's investigation found GM sold about $20 million worth of this data to brokers between 2020 and 2024. You can request your free personal report from LexisNexis at consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com and from Verisk at fcra.verisk.com or 1-800-627-3487.
What did the FTC's order actually do for consumers?
The FTC's order, finalized January 14, 2026, bars GM and OnStar from selling driver data to consumer-reporting agencies for five years, requires deletion of previously collected data within 180 days, and mandates 20-year opt-in consent going forward. It's a regulatory fix, not compensation — the FTC order does not pay consumers anything.
Do I get money from California's $12.75 million settlement?
No. That penalty — announced May 8, 2026 by the California Attorney General, the California Privacy Protection Agency, and several county DAs — is paid to the state and its enforcement partners, not to individual drivers. It's the largest CCPA penalty issued to date, but it isn't a consumer payout.
What happened to the Texas Attorney General's lawsuit against GM?
Texas AG Ken Paxton sued GM and OnStar on August 13, 2024, alleging the companies illegally collected and sold driving data from more than 1.8 million Texas drivers in violation of state privacy and deceptive-trade-practices law. As of August 2026, we could not confirm a final resolution of that case — check the Texas Attorney General's newsroom for updates.
When might a class settlement or payout actually happen?
There's no way to know for certain. Discovery in MDL No. 3115 is expected to continue into 2027, and no trial date has been set. Large MDLs like this one typically take years from consolidation to any settlement, if one happens at all. We'll update this page as soon as anything changes.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.
Related Consumer Brand Lawsuits
GM Engine Settlement
The OTHER GM case — $150M engine settlement paying out now
Open Class Action Settlements
Live directory: every claim window and payout round we track
AT&T Data Breach Settlement
$177M breach settlement: status and payout dates
Home Depot Class Action
Parking-lot surveillance and data-sale claims — active litigation