Privacy Policy

1. Information we collect

Information you provide directly

When you create an account or use AutoClarity, we collect:

• Account information: Your email address and display name. If you sign in with Google or Apple, we receive only the information those providers share with us (typically email and name).
• Vehicle information: Year, make, model, trim, approximate mileage range, and any nickname you give the vehicle. We do not collect VINs.
• Estimate data: Repair descriptions, amounts you enter, shop names (optional), and your zip code. This is the core data that powers our comparison engine.
• Location: Your zip code, used to pull regional labor rates. We do not collect precise GPS location.

Information collected automatically

When you use the app, we automatically collect limited technical information:

• Device type and operating system version
• App version
• Crash reports and error logs (used only for bug fixes)
• Basic usage analytics: which screens you visit, whether comparisons are completed (no personally-linked behavior tracking)

Information we do not collect

• Precise GPS location
• Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs)
• Payment or financial information
• Photos or camera data (V1)
• Contacts or address book

2. How we use your information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide the core service: Generate repair cost comparisons, calculate alternatives, and display results relevant to your vehicle and location.
• Maintain your account: Authenticate you, save your vehicles, and store your estimate history.
• Improve the app: Understand which features are used and fix bugs. We analyze aggregated, de-identified data — never individual user behavior in a way that could identify you.
• Communicate with you: Send transactional emails (password reset, account confirmation). We do not send marketing emails unless you opt in.
• Comply with law: Meet any applicable legal obligations.

We do not use your data to:

• Sell advertising or build advertising profiles
• Train AI models on your personal repair data
• Share with auto dealers, repair shops, or insurance companies

3. How we share your information

We do not sell your personal information. We share data only in the following limited circumstances:

Service providers

We work with a small number of third-party vendors who process data on our behalf under strict data processing agreements:

• Microsoft Azure — cloud hosting and database infrastructure
• Azure AD B2C — authentication (social login handling)
• Anthropic (Claude API) — AI-powered repair category parsing and plain-English explanations. We send repair descriptions and vehicle information to this service. We do not send email addresses or other identifying information.
• Google Maps / Places API — powering the Installer Finder map. Only your zip code is used for nearby searches.

Aggregate and de-identified data

We may share aggregate, de-identified statistics (e.g., "brake jobs in Atlanta average $X") with the public or partners. This data cannot be used to identify you.

Legal requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, subpoena, or other legal process, or when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, protect your safety or the safety of others, or investigate fraud.

Business transfers

If AutoClarity is acquired or merges with another company, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you by email or prominent in-app notice before your information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

4. Data retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you the service. Specifically:

• Account data (email, name): Retained until you delete your account.
• Vehicle data: Retained until you delete the vehicle or your account.
• Estimate history: Retained until you delete individual estimates or your account.
• Crash logs and diagnostics: Automatically purged after 90 days.
• Anonymized analytics: May be retained indefinitely in aggregate form.

When you delete your account, we permanently delete all personally identifiable information within 30 days, except where we are required to retain records for legal or compliance purposes.

5. Your rights and choices

Regardless of where you live, you have the following rights with respect to your personal information:

• Access: You can view all your saved vehicles and estimates directly in the app.
• Correction: You can edit your account information, vehicles, and profile at any time in Settings.
• Deletion: You can delete individual estimates, vehicles, or your entire account from the app. Account deletion permanently removes all your data.
• Portability: You can request an export of your data by emailing [email protected].
• Opt out of analytics: You can opt out of non-essential analytics in Settings → Privacy.

California residents (CCPA/CPRA)

California residents have the right to know what personal information we collect, delete personal information, opt out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information), and non-discrimination for exercising these rights. To exercise your rights, contact us at [email protected].

EEA / UK residents (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area or United Kingdom, you have additional rights under GDPR including the right to restrict processing, object to processing, and lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority. Our legal basis for processing is contract performance (to provide the service you requested) and legitimate interests (app improvement).

6. Security

We take the security of your information seriously. Our technical measures include:

• HTTPS encryption for all data in transit
• Encryption at rest for all personal data (Azure SQL Transparent Data Encryption)
• JWT authentication with short-lived access tokens (15-minute expiry)
• Secure storage for refresh tokens on mobile devices
• API rate limiting to prevent abuse
• Azure Key Vault for secrets management (no hardcoded credentials)

No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. If you believe your account has been compromised, please contact us immediately at [email protected].

7. Children's privacy

AutoClarity is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13, we will delete that information promptly.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at [email protected].

8. Third-party links and services

The app contains links to third-party websites and services, including RockAuto and eBay Motors (for parts sourcing) and Google Maps (for installer finding). When you tap these links, you leave AutoClarity and are subject to the privacy policies of those third parties. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external services.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party services you visit.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy in the app with a new effective date
• Sending a notification to the email address associated with your account for significant changes

Your continued use of AutoClarity after the effective date of an updated policy constitutes your acceptance of the changes. If you do not agree to the changes, you may delete your account before the effective date.

10. Contact us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact us: