Jeep offers discounts of up to 1.65 lakh during Diwali sale on select car models

General Motors (GM) reached a $220 million settlement, equivalent to approximately R$ 1.2 billion, with 35 American states and the District of Columbia. This agreement was announced on Thursday (29) to finalize allegations that the automaker provided drivers' location and driving data without proper permission.

GM stated that it does not admit any fault in this process. The amount paid represents eleven times the value the company would have gained from commercializing this data, according to an estimate by the California Attorney General.

The issue originated with Smart Driver, a free feature offered by OnStar, GM's connected services system. This feature aimed to help customers drive more safely and enable insurance discounts. The system assigned a score to the driver based on factors such as sudden braking, vigorous acceleration, and stretches driven over 129 km/h.

However, this data was sent to the companies LexisNexis and Verisk, which are responsible for compiling consumer reports, functioning like a 'traffic Serasa'. These entities, in turn, resold this information to insurance companies, resulting in increased insurance premiums for some customers without them knowing they were being monitored.

Prosecutors alleged that many individuals were included in the program through dealership salespeople, who received bonuses for each subscription. Furthermore, the OnStar app mistakenly notified over 370,000 drivers that they were not participating in Smart Driver, even though data collection continued.

GM discontinued the program in 2024. As part of the agreement, the company must ensure explicit authorization is obtained before collecting or sharing such data, submit to external audits, and revise the training provided at dealerships, thereby preventing any pressure on customers to subscribe to the service.

The automaker argues that the agreement pertains to a product that has already been terminated and serves to reinforce the privacy protection measures it was already implementing. It is important to note that OnStar is also present in Chevrolet vehicles sold in Brazil since 2015, but the litigation in question involves exclusively American customers.

In the Brazilian context, this type of data collection must comply with the General Data Protection Law (LGPD), which requires unequivocal consent for sharing personal information. The National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) has the authority to impose fines of up to 2% of the company's revenue in the country, with a ceiling of R$ 50 million per infraction; the agreement signed by GM exceeds this established limit by more than twenty times.

GM is not the only one under scrutiny. In the United States, a Toyota RAV4 owner filed a lawsuit against the brand after discovering, during an insurance quote, that the insurer possessed detailed records of their driving habits. Toyota maintains that the customer accepted the terms of the connected services, and the case was sent to arbitration, a form of private judgment.

The Move Brasil, a government initiative aimed at facilitating vehicle acquisition for taxi drivers and ride-share drivers, has reached only one-third of its established goal. As of Monday, the 26th, 65.8 thousand vehicles have been financed, according to data provided by the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES).

At the time of its launch in May, BNDES president Aloizio Mercadante had projected the sale of at least 200 thousand cars. The total amount of credit approved and contracted sums up to R$ 6.9 billion, representing approximately 23% of the total limit of R$ 30 billion made available by the program.

The Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services (Mdic) assesses the performance as positive. According to the ministry, the sales volume exceeds more than three times what the sector would buy in four months at the usual pace, which was estimated by the National Federation of Automobile Distribution at 4.4 thousand vehicles per month.

It is important to note that simple acceptance into the program does not guarantee the loan; after registration approval, the driver must seek a financial institution, which will analyze their history and repayment capacity.

Rogério Rodrigues da Silva, a 44-year-old driver interviewed by Folha de S.Paulo, chose to replace his rented vehicle with a financed one. He reported that the monthly cost remained similar, but the big advantage lies in finalizing the contract with an asset that can serve as a down payment for a future car.

On the other hand, Júnior Santana, 50 years old, prefers to maintain the rental model, costing about R$ 3,600 per month. He travels approximately 300 kilometers daily, and the lease agreement covers expenses such as maintenance, tires, and suspension.

Over time, the program has undergone important adjustments: in August, the maximum value limit for cars was raised from R$ 150 thousand to R$ 200 thousand, and the maximum amortization period became 84 months. In September, the program was transformed into permanent law, which resulted in the reduction of the minimum registration time required for ride-share drivers from 12 to 6 months.

The maximum interest rates established are 12.6% per year for men and 11.5% for women, values considered lower than those practiced in the market, according to the Mdic. Banco do Brasil, the largest participant, reported that 54% of the financing granted to taxi drivers and ride-share drivers was destined for electric vehicles.

In April 2026, the international conference 'Mahakal: Master of Time' held in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, raised serious questions regarding vehicle rental invoices. It was discovered that vehicles listed on the bills as Innova and Traveler were, in fact, e-rickshaws, mopeds, and motorcycles. These discrepancies led to payments exceeding 57 million rupees, prompting scrutiny over billing verification and payment processes.

According to director Dr. Anil Kotari of Mapkast, a four-member committee was formed to investigate the matter. The 'Mahakal: Master of Time' conference took place from April 3 to 5, 2026, at the Zodiac Dome complex in Vasant Vihar, Ujjain. The event aimed to discuss ancient Indian dating systems, astronomical traditions, and Ujjain's positioning within the historical meridian context.

Topics discussed at the conference included astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, space economy, and Indian knowledge traditions. Organizational activities were conducted with the participation of the Madhya Pradesh Council for Science and Technology (MPCST) and other relevant institutions. However, the identified inconsistencies in transport bills for guest rentals cast doubt on the procedures for verifying public expenditures.

The vehicles were rented from Aditi Tour and Travels in Bhopal. Specifically, in bill No. 3061, a vehicle with registration number MP13-ZP4512 was listed as an Innova Crysta, but according to Ujjain RTO records, this number is registered to an e-rickshaw. The e-rickshaw driver, Ritesh Shrivastava, stated that he uses the e-rickshaw for passenger transport and did not provide it for any government purposes.

A second incident relates to bill No. 3054, where a vehicle with registration number UP65-ED1523 was named a Tempo Traveller. The bill states that it traveled 186 kilometers in one day, for which a payment of 29,242 rupees was recorded. Upon checking, it was found that this number belongs to a moped registered in Uttar Pradesh. This raises the question of how a bill for a Traveller could be issued for a moped's number, and whether documentation for the vehicle was cross-checked before payment was made.

Motorcycle and truck numbers also came under close scrutiny. It was claimed that the bill for a 26-seater Tempo Traveller listed the number DD01R9228, which, according to RTO data, belongs to a truck. Furthermore, it was alleged that an Innova Crysta vehicle with registration number MP09VC6903 was listed as a motorcycle. It needs to be determined whether there was an error in entering the numbers into the bills, if different transport was used, or if there are other discrepancies in the documents related to the payment.

The owner of Aditi Tour and Travels, Devendra Saxena, provided explanations for these discrepancies. He stated that the submitted invoices were correct, but due to drivers' errors, the vehicle numbers were recorded in the wrong order, causing confusion. Nevertheless, confirming this explanation is only possible after a thorough review of the original invoices, vehicle registration certificates, time sheets, and payment records.

Furthermore, questions arose regarding odometer readings. According to available data, the Tempo Traveller record for April 3 shows a starting reading of 39,419 km, and for April 4, an ending reading of 39,616 km. However, on the following day, April 5, the starting reading was recorded as 62,324 kilometers. This creates a gap of 22,708 kilometers between the ending reading of April 4 and the starting reading of April 5. The reason for such a large discrepancy must be ascertained by checking the original logs, odometer readings, and actual use of the vehicle.

It is also worth noting that the total funding for the 'Mahakal' conference amounted to 6.29 crore rupees from Mapkast. According to available information, Facility Enterprises received 4.18 crore rupees for work related to tents, lighting, sound, projection, branding, and promotion, while M/s Pro. Event received 22.12 lakh rupees. Veer Bharat Nyas was also reported to have received 12.82 lakh rupees as service fees, and 1.32 crore rupees was spent on catering.