After General Motors received intense criticism from users as well as lawmakers and privacy advocates on its decision to continue to collect data from drivers that have canceled their OnStar service unless the customer asked for it to be shut off, the Detroit automaker announced today that it is reversing its proposed policy changes.
As a result, GM’s OnStar will not keep a data connection to customers’ vehicles after the service is canceled.
“We realize that our proposed amendments did not satisfy our subscribers,” OnStar President Linda Marshall said in a prepared statement to the press.
“This is why we are leaving the decision in our customers’ hands. We listened, we responded and we hope to maintain the trust of our more than 6 million customers. We regret any confusion or concern we may have caused,” she said.
GM added that if OnStar were ever to offer the option of a data connection after cancellation, it would only be when a customer opted-in (instead of forcing the change and asking consumers to opt-out).
