Many adults look forward to passing their driving test and purchasing their first car. For most of us, a car provides freedom: the ability to go anywhere we please, at any time, without relying on public transport.

However, cars from a decade or more ago are vastly different from vehicles on the market today. If you can afford to buy a newer model, you're buying into far more than wheels and an engine. Today's vehicles rely heavily on computers, sensors, satellite communications, mobile technology, the cloud, and systems that not only monitor the vehicle's health but can also monitor you.

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There's no shortage of media coverage about all the personal data being collected from our PCs, smartphones, browsers, and social media platforms. But have you ever considered the information your car collects and what happens to it?

Here's what you should know in 2026, and what you can do to reduce the flow of information from your vehicle to third parties.

I had a blast turning my first vehicle -- a 2007 Mercedes -- into a smart car with a range of accessories, including a portable Android infotainment dashboard, satnav, installable reverse camera, and 12v port expanders.