Why is Amazon so successful? Experts say the company uses data to learn about its customers and then tailors recommendations for them. That shopping experience is headed for dealerships.

What happens if a consumer doesn't want to divulge his or her data but still wants a car?

Modern cars and trucks have become data-gathering machines.Consumer Reports has several suggestions as to what vehicle owners should do to prevent this data from traveling to a subsequent owner.

With adaptive cruise control, a driver sets the desired cruising speed, and the system adjusts that speed so that the car stays a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. Hyundai has found a way to incorporate even more intelligence.