#u-s-senate

Black boxes in cars? We’ve reported on it before, but a bill requiring such devices has recently passed the U.S. Senate and is expected to fare the same in the House. 

If it goes all the way, cars built after 2015 will all have tattlers to give specific information on a car’s activity. If implemented, the devices are meant to be used by emergency responders during an accident, but the applications are far from limited to those incidents.

How do you secure your position as the coolest guy running U.S. Senate? If you’re Warren Mosler, you build and race a car like the 2012 Mosler MT900 Photon.

Auto enthusiasts and the government have a tenuous relationship at best. Whether its anti-speeding laws, legislation restricting vehicle mods or mandating the dreaded “smog tests” that usually take beloved older vehicles off the road. Fortunately, the government sometimes lends a hand to enthusiasts of older cars, by giving them protection under the “Historic Vehicle” category, or more symbolic measures, like the U.S. Senate’s declaration of July 9th as “Collector Car Appreciation Day.” According to SEMA’s press release, Collector Car Appreciation Day is intended to “raise awareness of the vital role automotive restoration and collection plays in American society,” which sounds just fine to us.

Ideally, July 9th would see the United States turn back the clock to the days of American Graffiti, where street racing was considered weekend entertainment and the cops would help block off the streets, burnouts weren’t considered “noise pollution” and cars weren’t a source of scorn and demonization, but we have a better chance of Al Gore giving up his private jet and opulent lifestyle before any of the above happens.

[Source: Japanese Nostalgic Car]

[Image: Jim Bauer for Bulgogi Brothers]

Hit the jump to read the official news release.