http.//www.autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=101249

In-flight data recorders, or "black boxes" have been used in all larger airliners, most smaller commuter airliners, and some military aircraft for some years now (though, of course, they are not always literally black but vary in color). They record a number of things...altitude, airspeed, roll, pitch, yaw, engine settings, flight control settings, flaps, landing gear, etc.....even the conversations between the crew themselves and between the crew and ATC (Air Traffic Control). When an plane crashes, these recorders become the property of and the data is downloaded by whatever organization is responsible for investigating the crash...usually the FAA, the military, or the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board), and can also be turned over to courts if necessary.
These data recorders, in a more simplified automotive rather than aircraft form, are now being installed in a number or new production vehicles. GM is the current leader in this field, installing them in virtually all of its new products. Some other companies (including Toyota / Lexus) also do to a lesser extent. Others have been reluctant to do so or don't do it at all.
Automotive data recorders are somewhat less complex than the ones used in aviation. They, of course are designed to operate in a two-dimensional system rather than three, as cars obviously do not fly. And, unlike aircraft recorders, they do NOT record human conversations.....even on the factory built-in cell-phone systems. They also, unlike aircraft recorders, generally save only the last five seconds or so of data from before the crash for actual downloading. They DO, however, record things like speed, throttle position, seat-belt-use, air-bag firing force, ABS / traction control / Stability system activation, g-forces involved in the crash, rollovers, etc...
So....as with so many other issues, there are two sides to this. The data stored in these recorders has proven to be useful to many auto engineers in designing ever-better safety systems. It has also helped in some instances to convict drivers in court who were trying to lie about the circumstances of a crash, and to help accident victims get proper compensation. They are especially useful to police and accident investigators today because ABS, traction control, and stability systems do not leave black rubber skid marks on the pavement like in years past, which were often used to determine speed and skids.
But, as reliable and accurate as these units are, they are still not absloutely 100% reliable...they have been known on occasion to record errors. There have also been privacy issues raised with this technology, and the fear that it will lead to ever-more invasive tracking systems that will not have time limits and will be an electronic eye for the government to snoop on anyone's whereabouts.
(Teens, though, might end up being a lot more careful about how they use Mom or Dad's car on Friday or Saturday night).

So....where do YOU stand on this issue. What are your opinions? Do the potential safety and courtroom justice issues here overide privacy concerns? Fire Away..........

 

Im all for it... it would help in situations where the guy says i was going 55 in a 55, but in actuallity was going 90. If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to worry about. if you are doing 55 in a 55, then that will be proven if they pull the report. I think this will help us out in the long run. It will help solve those mysterious single car crashes.

 

I personally think the data recorders are a double edged sword with respect to insurance companies. I can understand why you would want to have them, but the potential for abuse is just too great to ignore. Many rental companies tried experiments similar to the data recorders by tracking their customers speeds via GPS. Everytime, the customers exceeded the limits; the rental car company fined (not the residing authorities) the customers for speeding! The courts ultimately found this troublesome and forced the company to stop and refund the fines. It is this type of abuse that would turn a very good idea on helping protect their customers into a huge fiasco. Just as the SEC requires the board of companies to have a fiduciary obligiation to its stock holders by auditing their books; who willl audit the insurance companies? Big brother? I think not.

In short, there is a time and place for them. I do not think we are ready for them w/out having the appropriate check and balances put in place.

 

Yay... my car doesn't have one

Yeh, we really need another set of computers in our cars

 

They aren't really computers per se . They simply record data....sometimes very useful data.
As you indicate, though, there may be some privacy issues here.

 

Well, the recorder is basically a computer and something else that may break *cough*disconnected*cough*. I think my car has enough computer as it is (ECU, Tranny ECU, Power Mirrors, Power Seats, and probably some that I forgot).

 

I love modding new hardware, let them put it in, I'll reprogram it so it says I drive 55MPH only and get a phat insurance discount.

TIVO (hacked) XBOX (hacked) PS2 (Hacked) Directv/Dish (Hacked) XM Radio (Hacked) Traffic Cameras (Hacked) Radar (Hacked) Digital Cable (Hacked) Wireless Internet (Hacked)

Knowledge is power, I feel bad for people that aren't in the know!!

 

You won't be happy when the police pull the data and say that you were going 55MPH in an alley

 

OK...I'll give you my opinion now. There are good arguements on both sides of this, and there are some privacy issues, but overall, in their PRESENT form, I think they do more good than harm. It will make it much harder in the long run for those who cause accidents and then try to lie about it.....this is a serious issue and needs to be dealt with. Driving in all 50 states and D.C. legally is considered a priviledge, not a right....and with that priviledge goes an "implied consent" law involving acceptance of some rights of law enforcement and your conformation to state laws.
I say I would favor them in their present form only because I would NOT favor a 24-hour-a-day tracking system in cars...except, perhaps, for some teenagers for the first couple of months.