Could Black Boxes Be Coming to Cars?

A proposal by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will mandate the installment of data-recording black boxes in all new vehicles produced after September 2014. The NHTSA insists that the data collected will better assist in proving guilt in the event of a collision and will be used to engineer better vehicles. Under the proposal, the NHTSA will own all of the data collected by the black boxes. Those who oppose it claim it is an invasion of privacy.

What’s Happening

The black boxes, or event data recorders, will record data that can be used in the event of a collision to help prove fault. Data collected will also help auto manufactures find trends in driver habits, leading to adjustments in car manufacturing to better suit other drivers. According to arstechnica.com these devices were installed in 96 percent of new vehicles manufactured in the 2013 model year, though most drivers are unaware of this. Collected data will include vehicle speed, crash forces at the time of a collision, braking habits, airbag deployment timing, engine throttle and if seatbelts are in use.

Congress is still considering if and how to enact the legislation, with separate bills in both the House and Senate. If a consensus can be reach, the law would go into effect Sept. 1, 2014.

Issues

There is no standardized way to collect and understand the data has been finalized, the IEEE team ‘s main concern is to record crash data that has scientific value and is usable in a court of law. According to Carrepairinfoblog.com many major auto organizations and businesses have conflicting views regarding the installment of black boxes. The idea of the boxes is making some people feel like they are better off sticking to used vehicles online at Automotive.com or at their local used car dealership. Nearly all believe that making the boxes mandatory infringes on the right to privacy to some degree.

Some groups like the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is against the required use of the black boxes. The group believes that although the data can be used to helped future engineering, the mandating of such a tool is an invasion of privacy.

The AAA supports the use of black boxes only if a driver’s privacy is protected. They believe that the data should belong to to the motorist, not the government. That data should not be made available to anyone without the driver’s consent or court order. The National Motorists Association does not agree that any level of requirement for these boxes is justified. Although they acknowledge the benefits they could bring, they believe it should all be voluntary.

Cost could be a concern, as well. The NHTSA claims the devices would add just $20 to the cost of manufacturing a car, notes ARStechnica.com but it is unclear how much that would add to the retail price of a vehicle.