Driving with Guidance: Exploring the Trade-Off Between GPS Utility and Privacy Concerns Among Drivers

As the reliance on GPS technology for navigation grows, so does the ethical dilemma of balancing its indispensable utility with the escalating concerns over user privacy. This study investigates the trade-offs between GPS utility and privacy among drivers, using a mixed-method approach that includes a survey of 151 participants and 10 follow-up interviews. We examine usage patterns, feature preferences, and comfort levels with location tracking and destination prediction. Our findings demonstrate that users tend to overlook potential privacy risks in favor of the utility the technology provides. We also find that users do not mind sharing inaccurate or obfuscated location data as long as their frequently visited locations aren't identified, and their full driving routes can't be recreated. Based on our findings, we explore design opportunities for enhancing privacy and utility, including adaptive interfaces, personalized profiles, and technological innovations like blockchain.