Automotive black boxes are coming

[widebody911]

New car purchases starting in June will have a mandatory black box installed - National Finance Examiner | Examiner.com

Automotive Black Boxes, Minus the Gray Area | Autopia | Wired.com

[john70t]

With integrated GPS? Oh goody!

Now I can plaster everything I have with goatse.
I don't want my insurance "overseers" to miss a single turtlehead action.

[Joe Bob]

Don't buy the POS.....

[red-beard]

Not exactly true...

Vehicles | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

According to the NHTSA, car companies have been installing these in cars, about 64% of new cars already have them. This is to make the units uniform.

Here is the FAQ. The first link has the actual rules.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/Rulemaking/Rules/Associated%20Files/EDR_QAs_11Aug2006.pdf

From page #1

Does the Federal government require them?

No, the Federal government does not require manufacturers to install EDRs.

Does the Federal government regulate them?

NHTSA has issued a regulation to standardize the data collected and recorded by an EDR, in order to enhance its usefulness for safety-related purposes. Beginning with vehicles manufactured on or after September 1, 2010 (generally referred to as model year 2011 vehicles), NHTSA has defined the minimum data set that must be collected if a manufacturer decides to voluntarily install an EDR in their vehicle, along with requirements for the range and accuracy of EDR data. A complete list of EDR data elements covered under the regulation is provided at the bottom of this web page.

[Joe Bob]

So...my ON Star has been finking me off?

[red-beard]

Probably. It is a Government Motors car.

[pwd72s]

George Orwell was an optimist.

[jyl]

See the link above for information about EDRs, a bit of which is below.

I believe the primary reason cars have EDRs is to help the automakers defend against product liability lawsuits. When you get injured in car accident and sue BMW, Ford, etc, the car maker likes to be able to show that you were traveling 90 mph, had just floored the throttle, were steering wildly, or whatever.

THE BASICS

What is an EDR? What is its purpose?

An Event Data Recorder (EDR) is a function or device installed in a motor vehicle to record technical vehicle and occupant information for a brief period of time (seconds, not minutes) before, during and after a crash for the purpose of monitoring and assessing vehicle safety system performance. For instance, EDRs may record (1) pre-crash vehicle dynamics and system status, (2) driver inputs, (3) vehicle crash signature, (4) restraint usage/deployment status, and (5) post-crash data such as the activation of an automatic collision notification (ACN) system.

What is the difference between an EDR and a “black box”?

“EDR” is the term NHTSA has coined to refer to the device commonly installed on motor vehicles to record vehicle technical data for a brief period of time in the event of an accident. In contrast, airplanes, trains, and ships use sophisticated recording devices, known as black boxes, that record data continuously throughout the operation of the vehicle, capture much more data than EDRs, and, and in some cases, can record sound.

Where is the EDR typically located within a vehicle? Is there just one, or can a vehicle be equipped with multiple EDRs? Will I pay extra for it?

An EDR typically includes sensors located throughout the vehicle that perform various functions. However, the “brains” of the units are typically located in a well-protected area of the vehicle, such as under the driver’s seat, or within the center console. The exact location and type of EDR is left to the discretion of the automobile manufacturer. Usually there is only one central processing unit per vehicle. The cost of an EDR is not a significant factor in the cost of an automobile, and is incorporated in the base price.

Do all types of vehicles have them? If not, what percentage does?

Not all vehicles are equipped with EDRs. Most manufacturers have made the decision to install some EDR capabilities in their current vehicles. It is estimated that about 64% of the 2005 model year passenger vehicles have some EDR capability.


Does the Federal government require them?

No, the Federal government does not require manufacturers to install EDRs.

Does the Federal government regulate them?

NHTSA has issued a regulation to standardize the data collected and recorded by an EDR, in order to enhance its usefulness for safety-related purposes. Beginning with vehicles manufactured on or after September 1, 2010 (generally referred to as model year 2011 vehicles), NHTSA has defined the minimum data set that must be collected if a manufacturer decides to voluntarily install an EDR in their vehicle, along with requirements for the range and accuracy of EDR data. A complete list of EDR data elements covered under the regulation is provided at the bottom of this web page.

[doug_porsche]

Last I knew, the question was....

who owns the data.
California court knocks down police data mining your car [Op-ed]

Honda still does not reveal all the parameters theirs collects

ODB-II has been collecting data on you from the mid 90's on.

[Tobra]

So does that mean they know I topped 130 in my integra out in the middle of nowhere in Texas 10 years ago?

As Keanu might say, whoa.

[jyl]

If you had an accident within seconds afterwards, and then sued Honda, and their lawyers retrieved the EDR, then maybe . . .

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by jyl

I believe the primary reason cars have EDRs is to help the automakers defend against product liability lawsuits. When you get injured in car accident and sue BMW, Ford, etc, the car maker likes to be able to show that you were traveling 90 mph, had just floored the throttle, were steering wildly, or whatever.

THE BASICS

What is an EDR? What is its purpose?

An Event Data Recorder (EDR) is a function or device installed in a motor vehicle to record technical vehicle and occupant information for a brief period of time (seconds, not minutes) before, during and after a crash for the purpose of monitoring and assessing vehicle safety system performance. For instance, EDRs may record (1) pre-crash vehicle dynamics and system status, (2) driver inputs, (3) vehicle crash signature, (4) restraint usage/deployment status, and (5) post-crash data such as the activation of an automatic collision notification (ACN) system.

That could be a good thing. Record and destroy every 30 seconds. It could help you out in an accident where you were doing all the right things and got accused of being reckless.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Oh, an insurance company would NEVER accuse one of its long-term customers of such a thing unfounded. Oh no. Especially not a certain one that rhymes with "regressive"... They're perfectly capable of being trusted to be fair and impartial arbiters of justice and determining fault.

[lm6y]

They already have them that plug into the OBII port on your car. Handy little devices for troubleshooting intermittent problems. They are also marketed to keep an eye on Teenage drivers, fleet drivers, etc.

Joe Bob, don't dismiss the idea. They don't have to wait until an event is triggered to turn on your mic, and start recording. I seem to remember a police dept trying to get a warrant to "listen in" on a known drug dealer's car, but don't remember when, or where that was. Plus, OnStar can do a vehicle diagnostic, just like having a hand held scan tool hooked up to the car, so they would have access to all the vehicle speed, throttle position, etc. I know with my Snap-On scanner I can kill the fuel pump as a "test" so I would assume OnStar could as well, from hundreds of miles away. I'm sure there are legal battles to hurdle, but the technology is there.

[Joe Bob]

On Star recently had a contest. They were offering a free ride to anyone who called in and entered.

You could call in even if you had an expired account.....I cancelled my On Star account when they refused to roll over my minutes.

The system still works, I doubt they will rescue my ass when I fall and can't get up but they WILL try to Fuch me if I have an accident and it shows I was doing 140+ in my Yukon.

I love my country but fear the asshats that run it.....

[lm6y]

I don't think I would want to be in a Yukon doing 140+ !

[Joe Bob]

Why not? Best ride I ever owned. 100K on the same spark plugs (changed yesterday) and never had to change the brake pads........yet.

If it got better MPG I'd marry it.....

[Les Paul]

How did the plugs look?

[Joe Bob]

Old on the left, newb on the right.

[johnsjmc]

My 2005 F250 had one of these "black boxes" I believe it was described in the owners manual . Here the data can only be retrieved with a court order which is likely easy to obtain after an accident but not readily retrieved by the police for a speeding ticket or such.