Search results for Consumer Reports
Industry
Automakers make money selling vehicle data as U.S. car privacy row spreads
A growing privacy debate in the United States is focusing on who should control location and driving-habit data collected by cars, after it emerged that such data was used in setting insurance rates. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission in January issued a final order barring General Motors and OnStar for five years from providing consumer location and driving-behavior data to consumer reporting agencies. Scrutiny is also widening to other automakers as lawmakers weigh new measures.
AI & Enterprise
Three-second TikTok clip enough as AI voice phishing targeting elderly spreads in US
AI voice phishing that copies a family member’s voice using as little as three seconds of audio is spreading rapidly in the United States, with older people a main target. A Florida woman lost $15,000 after a caller imitated her daughter and demanded bail money. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center reported more than 22,000 AI-related complaints in 2025, with losses exceeding $893 million, including $352 million from victims aged 60 and older.
Mobility
U.S. Congress mulls annual $130 fee for EV drivers, saying they should pay road tax
The U.S. Congress is pushing legislation that would impose a separate annual fee of up to $130 on electric vehicle drivers, arguing they should contribute to road upkeep because EVs do not pay the federal gasoline tax. The bill would also charge plug-in hybrids $35 a year and raise the EV fee by $5 annually from 2029 to as much as $150. Industry and environmental groups say the plan amounts to a punitive tax that could hurt EV adoption.
