Automotive "Black Box" Coming in 2014

The Obama administration has approved putting a black box data recorder in all US vehicles by 2014:

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/50131531/#50131531

I'm not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, a person really better think twice about speeding because the insurance company is now going to know that you were speeding if you get into an accident. Good luck getting affordable insurance if that's the case If people know their driving habits are being recorded, *maybe* people will drive a little safer.

On the other hand, the government already has it's hands in too much of my life

 

Goodbye sweet America.

The land of the free? My ass.

 

I see where this could be helpful in crashes and help give the police clues to what happened in the event of a crash but it is a little creepy knowing there is a box recording every move you make.....

 

x2 this is scary

 

I thought the ecm already recorded some stuff. The computer recorded something like a running data stream of the last 30 seconds or 5 minutes or something.

 

^X2

 

Yup.

Most, but not all, vehicles have had a data recorder for the last 10-15 years.

It doesn't transmit anywhere, your insurance company and the DMV won't know how fast or how far or where you're driving (they can get that from your smartphone anyways).
It simply logs basic data, and the cops can download the information in the event of an accident to help determine fault, and whether or not to press charges and to what degree.

So yes, it can fuck you if you fucked up... but it can also be a big help if you didn't.

If someone t-boned you and killed your child, would you not want the cops to know that they were rolling 10 over the limit and never hit the brake?

 

Wake up you tin foilers , this is old news

 

I agree with Rich, and wtf does Obama have to do with this?

 

Probably lower insurance rates too in the end

 

Yet...

I do have to wonder if there are rules regarding the disabling of said unit.

 

U think any insurance company is going to lower its rates?

 

ECM does record things. not sure why they would want this black box. as far as the insurance company NOW all of the sudden knowing you were speeding when you got into an accident, why dont you just be honest in the first place?

 

I think it's funny hearing people saying that if things like this are to happen that it will impede our freedom. If the black box gave information that you were going 10mph over the speed limit, you're still going OVER the speed limit and breaking the law, it's not going to matter if the black box catches that or if a cop catches you. I wouldn't mind having one of these in my car because if I was going over the speed limit, I got in an accident, and I was at fault it would be on my dumb ass. And it would make me feel better if that could be the same for other cars as well.

I don't know how much information the black box will give out but under this aspect of car accidents and speeding, with all of the dumbass drivers on the road today I'd be in support of this.

 

What I find silly is that we are given the *freedom* to 'hang ourselves' so to speak... i.e., we are given the *freedom* to buy vehicles that can go 200+ mph, but it's illegal to drive faster than the speed limit. (You could argue that your 200+ mph car only goes that fast on a track, but I don't know of too many insurance companies that will insure you for that either.)

Rather than record that you were speeding and slap your hands for doing so after-the-fact, why not mandate that all car's computers limit the top end speed to something like 75 mph (or whatever the max speed limit is in the nation.) Heck, with GPS be so available, why not have the car's computer govern the speed on all roads so that one can't speed?

 

x3!

The direction of this country makes me ashamed to call myself an american, its really disappointing......

Call me crazy but I think the speed limit itself is unsafe. IMO a speed limit gives people a false sense of safety and while in this state they think they can talk on the phone, put on make up and eat a burrito all at the same time. While the speeder on the other hand is on high alert and is always watching (mainly for cops) for things like a driver making a lane change or other odd things that happen on the road. Also the speeder almost never has anyone driving in their blind spot (one of my peeves when I rarely DO drive the speed limit). But I just think that a speed limit makes people think "OK im doing the speed limit, Im being safe and nothings gonna happen to me" then BAM they let their guard down and get caught not paying attention.

 

Why

 

Why

 

wut