NHTSA Says It's Concerned about Cadillac Lyriq Owner Study That Required NDA

• Cadillac offered select buyers of its first EV, the Lyriq, a $5500 rebate if they agreed to sign an NDA and participate in a study. The Lyriq is priced starting just under $60,000.

• The study looks to discern driver behaviors like charging and maintenance habits.

• Only around 20 people were selected for the study, and data is collected verbally, not through real-time tracking.

UPDATE 7/22/22: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reportedly "in communication" with GM regarding this research program, specifically about concerns the agency has with whether the program's much-talked-about non-disclosoure agreement would prevent participants from reporting safety issues to the agency. NHTSA said it would consider this "unacceptable," according to a Wednesday email to the Detroit Free Press.

In a statement to the Free Press via email, a spokesman for GM said the NDA is "not intended to, and does not, prohibit or preclude participants from reporting any issue, safety or otherwise, to NHTSA or any other regulatory body."

If you participate in a clinical trial, you try a certain treatment, allow the researcher to collect data about you and your treatment, and often get compensated for it. Cadillac is trying something similar as it rolls out its first all-electric vehicle, the Lyriq.

As first reported by Carsdirect.com, select buyers were offered a $5500 rebate on their vehicle, which the Detroit Free Press reported was on the condition that GM could collect data on how they use their Lyriq. Participants also had to sign a nondisclosure agreement prohibiting them from disclosing their experience with the Lyriq to anyone but GM.