Black Boxes in Our Cars (AKA Event Data Recorders)

[parimento1]

These boxes record all parameters of the car including speed, brake usage, ABS, TRAC, G-forces, etc. These can be used by police to convict motorists who are in accidents. One woman was convicted b/c she was speeding 1 hr before the accident! There is a good article about this in USA Today. According to the article 65-90% of all cars have these black boxes without our knowledge. I wonder if the new camrys have them? I would b surprised if they didn't. I guess big brother is watching us!

[touringcamry]

Post your references.

[wireless]

Originally Posted by parimento1

These boxes record all parameters of the car including speed, brake usage, ABS, TRAC, G-forces, etc. These can be used by police to convict motorists who are in accidents. One woman was convicted b/c she was speeding 1 hr before the accident! There is a good article about this in USA Today. According to the article 65-90% of all cars have these black boxes without our knowledge. I wonder if the new camrys have them? I would b surprised if they didn't. I guess big brother is watching us!

Please post your source.

Knowing what I do on the subject, I can almost guarantee that the woman you reference did something negligent in her accident providing jusification (probable cause) for the necessary warrant to review the Black Box data.

Here is some reading on the topic (note this is about 3.5 years old)...
http://www.crashprevention.org/news/news.php?iss=9#53

My research of CDR systems and Vectronix (the Bosch unit that makes them) tells me that Toyota has these systems in their vehicles (and has for years) but does not provide indivudal information to law enforcement. Toyota only provides data to NHTSA for crash statistics, and only after airbag deployments.

[niko3257]

maybe your thinking of OnStar?
this in pretty much in all GM's.
now these grey boxes that people call
black boxes are the ones that I've heard of
people getting nailed by police.
i remember there was a story about it in one of
the auomotive magazines. people were asking why
benz,bmw,audi, etc. didn't have them.
all those people said they didn't want to incriminate
there customers.

[njerald]

Read your Service Manual!!!!!!

[wireless]

Niko: On-star has nothing to do with CDR sensor systems other than the possible sharing of sensors for data capture.

[parimento1]

Here's the link
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/in...blackbox_x.htm

[wireless]

That article is nearly 3 yers old, I remember when it first appeared. Nothing new.

[niko3257]

Originally Posted by wireless

Niko: On-star has nothing to do with CDR sensor systems other than the possible sharing of sensors for data capture.

trust me onstar can find anything out about your car.
to top it off they give info to the police.
onstar can detect g forces and all kinds of readings and send them
fast to onstar people to know whats going on.

[TRD VVTi]

I'm not sure, but I believe GM starting putting them in Vettes first.

I don't really mind. Usually if there is a severe accident they can reconstruct the scene fairly easily.

[wireless]

Originally Posted by niko3257

trust me onstar can find anything out about your car.
to top it off they give info to the police.
onstar can detect g forces and all kinds of readings and send them
fast to onstar people to know whats going on.

There is strict constitutional law that precludes certain disclosure of this information...I know what OnStar can do and it is tapped into the same sensors that the EDR/CDR systems use (as I previously stated).

[Mistabullet]

Originally Posted by 2007 Toyota Camry Owner's Manual: Page iv

Event data recorder

Your vehicle has computers that monitor and control certain aspects of your vehicle. These computers assist in driving and maintaining optimal vehicle performance. Besides storing data useful for troubleshooting, there is a system to record data in a crash or a near car crash event. This is called an Event Data Recorder (EDR).
... Go to your manual for more on this system.

Sometimes it pays off to look into that book that came with your car. It even says right on the front cover:

"For your safety and comfort, read carefully and keep in the vehicle."

[darksparkz]

Wow, I just looked into the Owner's Manual too, it does have the EDR system.

[BlackCamSe]

For you lazy bastards that donk kno how to read... lol. j.k... but this is strait out of the owners maunal of my 05 camry...

[Streaker]

^^^^