Black Box Mandate Expected From NHTSA Soon
Event Data Recorders (EDRs), commonly called “black boxes” are already installed in about 90 percent of new cars, but a new rule is expected from NHTSA making them mandatory for all cars and light trucks.
Although it isn’t clear exactly when the rule would take effect, the White House Office of Management Budget completed a review of the proposal today. All that’s left now is for NHTSA to finalize a standard for all cars.
While most cars are already equipped with EDRs, the new mandate could potentially pave the way for changes in consumer privacy, something the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is urging the government to consider.
But there’s another side to the argument — automakers also use EDRs to better understand what happens to cars after an accident.
“Automakers do not access EDR data without consumer permission, and any government requirements to install EDRs on all vehicles must include steps to protect consumer privacy,” alliance spokeswoman Gloria Bergquist said.
[Source: Automotive News]
Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
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