Overview
TailGuard is an iOS app that connects to Garmin Varia radar devices via Bluetooth and provides real-time threat alerts, ride recording, and cycling safety analytics. This privacy policy explains exactly how the app handles your information.
Data We Do NOT Collect
TailGuard does not collect, transmit, or sell any of the following:
- ❌ Personal identifiers (name, email, phone number)
- ❌ Location history sent to any server
- ❌ Ride recordings or GPS tracks sent externally
- ❌ Bluetooth device identifiers shared externally
- ❌ Health or fitness data shared with third parties
- ❌ Analytics or usage events
- ❌ Crash reports (no third-party crash SDK)
- ❌ Advertising identifiers (IDFA)
Bluetooth Access
TailGuard requests Bluetooth access to communicate with Garmin Varia radar devices (RTL515, RTL516, RTL615, RVR315, RTL820 and compatible models). Bluetooth is used exclusively to:
- Scan for nearby radar devices using Garmin's proprietary BLE services
- Receive radar data – threat targets, distances, and speeds
- Send commands to the device – light mode control (RTL820 with GSMS support)
- Read device battery level for display and low-battery alerts
- Read firmware version for update notifications
All Bluetooth data is processed locally on your iPhone. No Bluetooth data is transmitted externally.
Location Data
TailGuard requests location access (When In Use) to record GPS tracks during rides. Location data is used to:
- Display your current speed on the radar screen
- Record your ride route for post-ride analysis and history
- Correlate vehicle detections with GPS coordinates for heatmaps
- Identify danger zones (repeated high-threat locations)
All location data is stored locally on your device using Apple's SwiftData framework. It is never transmitted to any server. You can delete all ride history at any time in the app's Settings → Reset.
Data Stored Locally
TailGuard stores the following data locally on your device:
- App settings – preferences such as alert sounds, haptic intensity, display options (stored in
UserDefaults) - Known Bluetooth devices – name, UUID, and firmware version of paired radar devices
- Ride sessions – timestamp, duration, distance, route GPS points, and vehicle detection events (stored in
SwiftData) - Danger zones – aggregated locations where repeated high-threat detections occurred
This data never leaves your device unless you explicitly choose to export it (e.g. sharing a GPX file). Exported files are shared via the iOS system share sheet and are under your full control.
Apple Watch
If you use the TailGuard Apple Watch companion app, radar state and basic settings are transferred between your iPhone and Watch using Apple's WatchConnectivity framework. This communication happens directly device-to-device and does not involve any external servers.
In-App Purchases
TailGuard offers optional premium features via In-App Purchase (TailGuard Premium). Purchase transactions are handled exclusively by Apple's StoreKit framework. We do not process payment information and do not have access to your payment details. Apple's own Privacy Policy applies to all transactions.
AI Features (On-Device)
TailGuard may use on-device machine learning features (Apple's Foundation Models / Core ML) to generate post-ride summaries or analyse danger zones. All AI processing happens entirely on your device. No data is sent to any AI service, cloud API, or third party.
Third-Party Services
TailGuard does not integrate any third-party SDKs for:
- ❌ Analytics (Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, etc.)
- ❌ Crash reporting (Crashlytics, Sentry, Bugsnag, etc.)
- ❌ Advertising networks
- ❌ Social media SDKs
- ❌ Cloud databases (Firebase, AWS Amplify, etc.)
Firmware Update Checks
TailGuard may contact Garmin's public firmware API (api.github.com/repos/garmin/ConnectIQ-Companion or Garmin's update endpoint) to check for radar device firmware updates. This request contains only the device part number and firmware version string — no personal identifiers. This feature can be disabled by not connecting a radar device.
Notifications
TailGuard may request permission to send local notifications for events such as:
- Post-ride summary reminders
- Low radar battery alerts
- Firmware update availability
All notifications are generated locally on your device. No notification tokens or identifiers are collected or transmitted externally.
Children's Privacy
TailGuard is not directed at children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect any personal information from anyone, including children. Since no data is collected, there are no special considerations for children's privacy.
Your Rights (GDPR / CCPA)
Under GDPR (EU) and CCPA (California), you have the right to access, correct, and delete personal data held about you. Since TailGuard does not collect or transmit any personal data, these rights are automatically fulfilled. All locally stored data can be deleted at any time within the app (Settings → Reset) or by uninstalling the app.
Data Security
Since all data remains on your device, it benefits from iOS's built-in security features including hardware encryption and app sandboxing. We do not operate servers, so there is no risk of server-side data breach affecting your information.
Changes to This Policy
If we change our data practices, we will update this privacy policy and the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. Significant changes will be noted in the App Store release notes.
Contact
If you have any questions about this privacy policy, please contact:
Email: dan.urbanek.dev@gmail.com
Developer: Dan Urbánek
Country: Czech Republic, European Union