Submitted by Aiken Jacobsen on
We have posted in the past about how technology can both help and hinder our driving. An Event Data Recorder (EDR) is a relatively simple device which acts as a sort of "black box" for the car. After a car accident, information can be extracted from the EDR to help determine possible causes of the accident.
The information is limited to the mechanical performance of the car, such as brake function and airbag deployment. Still, this information is very useful and EDRs are already standard in certain cars. But if we have an EDR in our car, who owns the collected information and can it ever be used against us?
This is precisely the question which has made the EDR so controversial. Some automakers and lawmakers want the devices to be mandatory on all new vehicles but privacy concerns and information ownership concerns have prevented this.
The data collected by EDRs is highly coveted by car manufacturers, safety regulators, law enforcement, insurers, personal injury attorneys, and of course the car owners themselves. All these groups and individuals have a stake in obtaining data about car accidents, and each group wants to have sole access to the information.
Perhaps the solution is to make the information available to anyone. However, this raises concerns that the devices could be used by insurance companies and the government to spy on drivers.
Until a decision is made about who owns this information, a mandatory installation policy is unlikely. California is one of 12 states who have already attempted to regulate access to EDR information. State lawmakers have determined that EDR data does not belong to the owner of the car. They have also decided to restrict access to the information to only those with a warrant or court order to obtain it. Data is not available to insurance companies.
Source: ConsumerAffairs.com, "Still No Agreement On 'Black Boxes' for Cars," Truman Lewis, 05 January 2011
