In early December, General Motors Co. (“GM”) unveiled Marketplace, an in-vehicle commerce platform facilitating on-demand goods and services, including the ability to make reservations, order food, and locate the nearest gas station through dashboard screens of eligible Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac vehicles. Brand partners include Dunkin’ Donuts, Wingstop, IHOP, Priceline.com, Parkopedia, and delivery.com. Marketplace is only one feature of a suite of services that GM plans to roll out to nearly four million drivers in the next few years. The Marketplace platform will use machine learning from drivers’ real-time interaction data to generate personalized offers and experiences, including offers specific to GM vehicles, such as discounts for oil changes or accessories. Connected cars provide new opportunities for brand interaction but also create new legal challenges, even when companies adhere to driver safety guidelines.

Takeaway: Advertisers should consider how forming partnerships with connected car companies might expose them to new regulatory frameworks and liability, especially as they relate to data ownership and consumer privacy.