Posted on 08/12/2013 6:34:34 PM PDT by jazusamo
Video at source.
A proposed federal rule that would require black boxes or event data recorders (EDRs) in every U.S. automobile may mean Big Brother could be in your passenger seat for every drive.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rule requires all light passenger vehicles be equipped with an EDR by Sep.1, 2014. Ninety-six percent of new cars already have them - measuring such inputs as speed, lateral acceleration, pedal effort, seat belt use, wheel spin, steering wheel turn and direction.
Black box data retrieved from U.S. car accidents in a single day would provide more information than a year's worth of crash testing, says Tom Kowalick, who heads the design team that is standardizing the devices for automakers worldwide.
But he also said he fears that for all their potential good, the EDRs present a massive privacy dilemma, and an opportunity for fraudsters.
"They can take that odometer and roll that odometer back to zero, he said. They can change the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which is in the computer. And once they do that, then it's okay for them to very simply steal the motor vehicle and move it away."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
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Yeah... No.
/johnny
That’s a sweet ride.
Take your surveillance and check yourselves for polyps, Fedguys.
/johnny
More and more I want to go back to an old air-cooled Corvair from the 1960s like my parents had.
Is there a law against taking them out of the vehicle?
Take your surveillance and check yourselves for polyps, Fedguys.
ROFLMAO!!! You get the prize!
Some day, gov’t will pull you over and write speeding tickets of your black box.
That’s why the wife just bought a 2013 model....
Imagine the value of pre-2014 used cars for the next 10 years!

Another reason to drive an older car.
Most likely a computer interlock to everything else in the car....plus voiding the warranty and likely your insurance.
My Dad had a 76? 280Z and loved it, it was great on the open road.
If this should pass I’d bet it’ll be illegal to remove them.
Having a data logging module storing the data as it flows around is not big deal technologically.
Welcome to the no privacy future.
No...
Auto-download.
You’ll just get an itemized list of tickets at the end of each month.....
...unless they auto-deduct them from your checking account.
NOW do you understand what “Tea Party” means?
Auto black boxes, a greedy plaintiff trial lawyers dream for doubling his take home income. Seize on one or two lines of data to blame the accident on the other driver, not his client’s drunk/ cell phone texting, across the white line driving at the moment of the crash.
Some day, govt will pull you over and write speeding tickets of your black box.
The Gubmint will simply deduct the fee from your bank account.
After the Corvairs got rid of the swing axles (like a VW), all was swell.
Maybe disable it, fry its little brain?
I miss the Corvairs. An ole’ boy in Tennessee had over 20 of them.
LOL! I love that, most appropriate:)
Just helped my buddy put a new clutch in one.
Now they have modern seal materials for the engine seals you can put in (o-rings, etc) that hold up to heat well and no more leaks!
I don't think so, but since it controls most of the functions like the engine and transmission, the car won't run either, which could limit its usefulness.
I still see “collections” as I drive around America.
What makes you believe your new car doesn’t have this?
Most have had it for 10 yrs or more.
The way this will get implemented is via insurance companies.
They are going to make it prohibitively expensive (or impossible) to insure a vehicle for liability without it.
Perhaps, NSA will find a way to wirelessly query the black box.
I put in about 27,000 miles a year. America is my land.
How long before they use this computer to track miles driven and then levy a tax per mile?
Therein lies the problem.
No government agency or insurance company should have access to these devises for any reason. Actually no one should have access but a mechanic to repair a problem but we know that will not be the case.
May need to step up my efforts to find another 1969 delta 88. Picky though, gotta have the 455...

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My 69 Porsche has 2 black boxes...1 in each front fender well...
OH! wait they’re just two 6 volt batteries placed there for equal weight distribution...*W*
Corvair from the 1960s like my parents had.”
We had one - engine in the rear with a supercharger, 5 speed. Would really get up and go. Only little car I ever had and loved it. Chocolate brown with cordova tan leather upholstery. Would buy another one just like it.
In other news new car sales go down 99%...
Interesting how no “black box” could be found in Michael Hastings’ vehicle...
I know that the On-Star feature involves the ability for some computerized functions to be controlled remotely. If a vehicle doesn’t have On-Star does that mean that this capability doesn’t exist?
Are they talking about these “black boxes” having GPS/tracking and the ability for the vehicle to be controlled remotely?
“How long before they use this computer to track miles driven and then levy a tax per mile?”
I have OnStar on my CTS and my insurance provider gives me a discount based on the number of miles I drive. OnStar sends them the information automatically. Since I drive less than 2500 miles a year, it’s quite a savings. Plus, being an older female I feel safer having the OnStar emergency button.
A very nice “older car”.
Remove box from car
Place on a shelf in the garage
Power up box using a 12 VDC battery and a trickle charger
Let the stupid box report zero miles driven and watch as your stupid insurance company drops your rates to zero
Well, maybe not...
Regards,
GtG
They can already do that to truckers. Most companies now have paperless log books. FedEx is the company that really pushed it.
Qualcom
That’s it. Prevents lots of drivers from making any decent money. Also knocked a lot of smaller trucks off the road.
I’ll keep my 1965 chevy PU and my 1936 Chevy custom 3 window coupe since they don’t have a computer of any kind!
Guess I’ll have to dump my wife.s Lexus and get her a hot rod also!
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