Privacy Policy

The short version

You can browse Otto anonymously — we give you a session so you can look around without signing up. When you tell Otto what you want (budget, body style, a specific car), we remember that so the next suggestion is better. We use reputable third parties to run the service, and we only share your details with a dealer when you clearly ask us to.

What we collect

Anonymous session: When you arrive, we create an anonymous session identifier so your preferences and conversations stay together. You can use much of Otto without ever creating an account.

Account information: If you sign up, we store your email address and any name you provide. Authentication is handled by Supabase.

Conversations and searches: Your messages to Otto, your search queries, the vehicles you view, favorite, or compare, and the preferences Otto derives (budget, vehicle interests, etc.) are stored so Otto can be consistent across a long conversation and remember you next time.

Vehicle interests and leads:If you indicate strong interest in a vehicle (a "hand raise"), we record that and may package relevant context to share with a dealer (see below).

How we use it

To personalize Otto's suggestions, to keep your conversation coherent across sessions, to introduce you to dealers when you ask, to improve the product (aggregate, de-identified analysis), and to keep the service secure.

Dealer introductions, and how we make money

Dealers pay Otto a fee when you accept an introduction. That fee buys the introduction you agreed to — it does not buy access to you.

It works in two stages, and the line between them is the whole point. Before you consent, a dealer can see that a buyer is interested in a specific vehicle and the anonymous demand signal that comes with it. They cannot see your name, your email, your phone number, or anything that identifies you — and they have no way to reach you. That information is not for sale at any price, because it is not on offer.

After you consent, and only then, we release your contact details to the one dealer you agreed to — so they can reach out about the vehicle you actually want. We ask you explicitly, in plain language, every time. You can say no, and nothing is shared.

We never passively hand your data to dealers, and we never share it with a dealer you did not agree to.

Third parties we rely on

These providers process data on our behalf to operate Otto:

• Supabase — database, authentication, and file storage.
• Groq — the language model that powers Otto's replies.
• Resend — transactional email (notifications, feedback routing).
• Manheim / NHTSA — third-party vehicle listing and recall data sources.

[TBD — owner/legal: full list of subprocessors, data-processing agreement references, and any analytics/advertising providers if added later.]

Cookies and local storage

We use local storage and cookies to keep your session active and remember preferences (like your saved vehicles). We don't use advertising cookies. [TBD — owner/legal: detailed cookie inventory and consent mechanism if required by jurisdiction.]

Your choices

You can browse anonymously without signing up. You can sign out to clear your active session. You can use the in-app feedback to ask us to review or delete your data. [TBD — owner/legal: formal data-subject request process, retention periods, and jurisdiction-specific rights (access, deletion, portability).]

Data retention

We retain conversation and preference data for as long as needed to provide the service and improve it. Anonymous browsing data may be retained in aggregate form. [TBD — owner/legal: specific retention windows and deletion-on-request policy.]

Contact

Privacy questions? Use the in-app "Send feedback" button or email [TBD — owner/legal: official privacy contact address].