Privacy Policy for CarAid AI

Effective date: August 29, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how CarAid AI ("CarAid AI", "the app", "we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, stores, and shares information when you use the CarAid AI mobile application.

App developer: MidiSG
Privacy contact: midisoft.game@gmail.com

1. Information We Collect and Process

Depending on the features you use and whether you use guest mode or a registered account, CarAid AI may process the following information:

• Account information: phone number, Firebase user identifier, anonymous account identifier, authentication status, subscription and trial status, token balance, app language, time zone, and notification token.
• Trial eligibility and abuse-prevention information: a pseudonymous identifier derived from a verified phone number, trial start and expiration dates, trial status, whether a subscription has previously been activated, and timestamps showing whether trial-related notices were sent. The trial eligibility record does not contain the phone number in readable form.
• Vehicle information: vehicle make, model, year, mileage, fuel or engine type, transmission, VIN if you choose to provide it, service information, and insurance expiration date.
• Diagnostic content: questions and descriptions you submit, follow-up questions, OBD2 trouble codes, diagnostic results, resolution statuses, saved FAQ items, and diagnostic history.
• Media, files, and voice input: photos, images, audio, and other supported files that you choose to attach to a diagnostic request, as well as text produced when you use voice input.
• App records: weekly vehicle checkups, expense records, notification history, daily usage counters, feature limits, and preferences.
• Location information: precise or approximate location when you grant permission and use maps, nearby service search, fuel station search, tire service search, parts search, or related location features.
• Technical and usage information: app interactions, feature usage, app instance identifiers, device model, operating system, language, IP address, App Check data, crash reports, stack traces, performance information, and other technical diagnostics.
• Purchase information: product identifier, transaction identifier, purchase status, subscription entitlement, renewal or expiration information, and data required to validate a purchase. We do not receive or store your payment card number.

2. How We Use Information

We use information to:

• Authenticate users and provide guest or registered access.
• Provide AI-assisted vehicle diagnostics and OBD2 explanations.
• Save and synchronize garages, diagnostic history, FAQs, checkups, expenses, notification history, and other account features.
• Provide maps, nearby searches, location-based recommendations, and parked-vehicle tools.
• Create reminders, status notifications, maintenance alerts, weekly checkup prompts, trial notices, and other requested notifications.
• Apply daily limits, one-time trial access, subscription benefits, and purchased token balances.
• Process, validate, restore, and manage subscriptions and in-app purchases.
• Generate daily vehicle tips using vehicle, location, weather, regional, and app context where available.
• Determine trial eligibility and prevent repeated promotional trials, including after app reinstallation or account recreation.
• Protect the app from fraud, abuse, automated traffic, and unauthorized access.
• Analyze usage, diagnose crashes, improve reliability, and develop app features.
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce applicable terms.

3. AI-Assisted Processing

CarAid AI uses Google Firebase and Google AI services, including Gemini models, to generate diagnostic explanations and recommendations. When you request an AI analysis, the information sent for processing may include your question, selected vehicle details, mileage, OBD2 codes, conversation context, and attached media or files.

Important: AI-generated information is provided for informational purposes only. It may be incomplete or inaccurate and does not replace inspection, diagnosis, or advice from a qualified automotive professional. Do not rely on the app when immediate safety is at risk.

4. Device Permissions and Location

The app may request device permissions only when needed for a feature:

• Location: to display your position, search for nearby automotive services, support location-based tips, and place or find a parked-vehicle marker.
• Camera and photo library: to capture or select diagnostic images.
• Microphone and speech recognition: to convert speech into text when you explicitly start voice input. Depending on your device and settings, audio may be processed by Apple, Google, or another system speech-recognition service. CarAid AI receives the recognized text and does not store the raw microphone recording created for dictation.
• Files and audio attachments: to select supported audio or document content that you explicitly attach to a diagnostic request. Unlike temporary dictation audio, an attached audio file is uploaded and processed as part of that request.
• Bluetooth: to connect to a compatible OBD2 adapter when you use scanner functionality.
• Notifications: to deliver diagnostic, maintenance, weekly checkup, trial, subscription, and other app reminders.

You can deny or revoke permissions in your device settings. Some features may not work without the relevant permission. If you do not allow microphone or speech-recognition access, you can continue entering diagnostic questions with the keyboard.

Your saved parked-vehicle coordinates are stored locally on your device. If you choose to share the parked location, the app creates shareable text containing a Google Maps link.

5. Accounts and Guest Mode

Registered accounts use phone authentication and allow supported data to be stored in the cloud and synchronized across devices signed in to the same account.

Eligible newly registered users may receive one three-day period of full access. Trial eligibility and expiration are determined by the backend using server-controlled account and trial dates, rather than only information stored on the device.

Guest mode uses an anonymous Firebase account and provides limited features and usage allowances. Guest data may be associated with an anonymous identifier and device installation. If you sign out, clear app data, reinstall the app, or change devices, some guest data may become inaccessible or be removed. Locally stored preferences are generally removed when app data is cleared or the app is uninstalled.

6. Analytics, Crash Reporting, Security, and Remote Configuration

CarAid AI uses Firebase Analytics to understand feature usage, Firebase Crashlytics to diagnose crashes, Firebase App Check to verify legitimate app requests, Firebase Remote Config to control app configuration, and Firebase Cloud Messaging to support notifications.

These services may process app instance identifiers, device and operating system information, IP address, usage events, crash data, integrity or attestation signals, and notification delivery information.

Analytics events may describe the feature or action used, whether it succeeded or failed, guest or registered account mode, free or premium access tier, and subscription plan. For registered accounts, the Firebase user identifier may be assigned as the analytics user identifier so events can be associated with the same account across sessions and supported devices.

Custom analytics events are not designed to include your phone number, VIN, diagnostic question text, attached media, or precise location. We use analytics to measure feature adoption and user flows, distinguish free and premium usage, identify failures, improve reliability, and guide product development. We do not use this analytics implementation for third-party advertising or cross-app tracking.

7. Free Trial, In-App Purchases, and Subscriptions

The three-day full-access trial is a one-time promotional benefit for eligible new registered users. We use a pseudonymous identifier derived from the verified phone number to recognize prior trial eligibility without storing the readable phone number in the trial ledger. Reinstalling the app, clearing local data, signing in on another device, deleting an account, or creating another account with the same verified phone number does not restart the trial.

When notifications are enabled, we may send a welcome notification after the trial starts and a reminder when approximately one day remains. Opening these notifications may navigate to the Today or subscription screen. You can disable notifications in the app or device settings.

If a subscription is successfully activated, the trial is no longer monitored as a separate promotional entitlement. A record that a subscription was previously activated may remain in the trial eligibility ledger to prevent the trial from being granted later.

Subscriptions and token purchases are processed by Apple through the App Store or by Google through Google Play. Apple or Google processes your payment details. CarAid AI receives purchase and entitlement information needed to verify transactions, provide purchased benefits, prevent duplicate crediting, and restore purchases.

Subscription management, cancellation, billing, and refunds are governed by the applicable store's terms and settings.

8. Sharing and Service Providers

We do not sell your personal data.

Information may be processed by service providers that help operate the app, including:

• Google Firebase and Google Cloud for authentication, databases, cloud functions, storage, analytics, crash reporting, notifications, App Check, configuration, and backend infrastructure.
• Google AI services, including Gemini, for AI-assisted analysis and generation.
• Google Maps Platform and Google Places for maps, geolocation-related display, and nearby place searches.
• Apple, Google, or the speech-recognition service configured by your device to convert speech into text when you use voice input.
• Apple App Store and Google Play for purchases, subscriptions, and purchase verification.

We may also disclose information when required by law, to protect users or the app, to investigate fraud or security incidents, or as part of a business transfer subject to appropriate safeguards.

Google Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy
Firebase Privacy and Security: https://firebase.google.com/support/privacy
Apple Privacy Policy: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/

9. Local Storage

CarAid AI stores certain information locally, including theme and language preferences, selected filters and periods, selected vehicle references, parked-vehicle coordinates, and other lightweight settings needed to preserve your experience between sessions. Sensitive payment credentials are not stored in local preferences.

10. Data Retention and Deletion

We retain cloud data while it is needed to provide the app, maintain an account, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, prevent abuse, and preserve transaction integrity. Retention periods may vary by data type.

Registered users can delete their account in the app and can remove supported garage and diagnostic history data through the app settings. Individual records may also provide deletion controls where available. Deleting a CarAid AI account does not cancel a subscription with Apple or Google; store subscriptions must be canceled in the applicable store.

When a registered account is deleted, we delete its Firebase authentication account and associated operational user data, including vehicles, diagnostics, notifications, preferences, token balance, and registered notification tokens, subject to the exceptions described below.

Trial abuse-prevention record: after account deletion, we retain the pseudonymous trial identifier and trial eligibility history, including trial dates and whether a subscription was previously activated. We detach the Firebase user identifier from this record. We retain this limited record while the one-time trial program operates and for as long as reasonably necessary to prevent repeated promotional access, investigate abuse, and protect the integrity of the service. It is not used for advertising.

Certain store transaction identifiers, purchase validation records, security records, anti-fraud records, usage-limit records, protected backups, and system logs may also be retained where reasonably necessary or legally required. Store purchase ownership is removed from the deleted CarAid AI account where supported, but transaction records may remain for purchase integrity, fraud prevention, accounting, dispute resolution, or legal compliance.

You may request access to or deletion of personal data associated with CarAid AI by contacting midisoft.game@gmail.com. We may need to verify your identity before completing a request.

11. Data Security and International Processing

We use reasonable technical and organizational safeguards, including authenticated access, platform security rules, App Check, secure network connections, and restricted backend operations. No system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Our service providers may process information in countries other than your country of residence. Where required, data is handled under safeguards provided by applicable law and the service provider's contractual commitments.

12. Your Choices and Rights

You can manage app permissions, notifications, and certain data through the app and device settings. Depending on your location, you may have rights to request access, correction, deletion, restriction, objection, portability, or withdrawal of consent. These rights may be subject to legal exceptions.

To exercise a privacy right, contact us at midisoft.game@gmail.com.

13. Children's Privacy

CarAid AI is not directed to children under the age of 13, or a higher minimum age where required by local law. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children who are not legally permitted to use the app. If you believe a child has provided personal data, contact us and we will take reasonable steps to address it.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy when app features, service providers, or legal requirements change. We will publish the current version at this URL and update the effective date above. Material changes may also be communicated in the app where appropriate.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions, requests, or concerns about this Privacy Policy or the handling of information in CarAid AI, contact:
MidiSG
midisoft.game@gmail.com