CARCARE PRIVACY POLICY
Last updated: October 13, 2026 · Status: Pre-release policy for CarCare v10; device and production service verification pending.
Overview
CarCare helps users identify vehicles, track maintenance and mileage, view recall campaigns, scan vehicle-related images, and set reminders. This description reflects the reviewed Xcode 26 v10 test project, not a future release with additional services.
Information stored on your device
CarCare saves vehicle identification numbers (VINs), year, make, model, trim and other vehicle details, mileage, service dates, shop names, service descriptions, costs, notes, and scan-result summaries in local iOS app storage. It also saves app preferences and onboarding state. The reviewed app does not implement an account system or CloudKit synchronization. Local information may be included in device backups according to the user's iOS backup settings.
VIN decoding and external services
When you choose to decode a VIN, CarCare sends the 17-character VIN over HTTPS to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) vPIC service to retrieve manufacturer-reported vehicle details. When you request recall campaigns, the app sends vehicle year, make, and model to NHTSA's recall service. These requests may expose standard connection information, such as IP address, to the service operator. NHTSA's own practices govern information handled by its systems.
Camera, photographs, and text recognition
CarCare may request access to the camera or photo library when you initiate a scan. VIN text recognition and receipt text recognition use Apple's on-device Vision technology in the reviewed version. The app's diagnostic photo capture feature is available, but the reviewed v10 build has no configured AI backend and does not send diagnostic images to an AI service. The stored scan history contains generated summary information rather than the original diagnostic image. The app should not be relied upon for safety-critical vehicle diagnoses.
AI assistance
In this testing build, vehicle questions use local fallback answers and image analysis is unavailable because the remote backend has not been configured. If a remote AI provider is enabled in a future release, this policy will be revised to explain what questions, vehicle details, images, and technical information are transmitted, along with applicable providers and retention.
Notifications
With your permission, CarCare can schedule local maintenance reminders. You can manage notification permission through iOS Settings.
Advertising and tracking
No advertising SDK, cross-app tracking, or third-party analytics SDK was identified in the reviewed v10 source code. Its privacy manifest declares tracking disabled and no app-collected data types; this declaration must be checked against the final production build and external VIN requests before App Store submission.
Retention and deletion
Vehicle and service records persist in local app storage while the app remains installed, unless changed or removed through available app features. Removing the app normally removes its local app data, subject to device backup behavior. CarCare cannot delete information already received by NHTSA through a VIN or recall request. Contact support for privacy questions or deletion assistance.
Children and policy changes
CarCare is designed for vehicle owners and is not specifically directed at children. This policy will be updated when features, providers, or data practices materially change.
Contact
Before final publication
Verify real-device camera and photo flows, data deletion, device backup behavior, NHTSA requests, notification behavior, and any production AI backend. Reconcile Apple's App Privacy questionnaire with the shipped binary and service provider practices.