[SS-Traveller]

A recently passed US Senate Bill (S.1813, also known as MAP-21) is going to require that auto manufactures install Event Data Recorders (EDR) in all new vehicles starting in 2015. The bill is expected to be approved by the House. EDRs are similar to the black boxes used to determine what went wrong in an airplane crash, and record data such as speed, brake force, and electrical systems monitoring.

Many auto manufacturers already use these devices to help engineers and mechanics perform diagnostics tests and identify malfunctioning parts. These devices were crucial to the Department of Transportation finding Toyota not responsible for the so-called "unintended acceleration" accidents in 2009. They're also used in telematics systems, such as GM's OnStar, to alert emergency response operators in the event the vehicle sensors detect a crash or an airbag deployment.

The new legislation will standardize which events the black boxes record and require their installation in all new vehicles sold in 2015. While the new change offers considerable safety benefits, it does open the door to privacy concerns.

The time of day, how fast you were driving, how hard you were braking - or not braking - will be easily determined if the police or insurance company gets access to that information. This data could be used to recreate accidents, dispute driver claims, prove fault, or innocence.

Current US NHTSA regulations require manufacturers to disclose to car buyers if the vehicle contains an EDR. Recently, some insurance companies offered similar technology that lets drivers share driving behavior or mileage information with them in exchange for potential premium discounts. The safer the driver you are and the less you drive, the cheaper your premiums will be. However, if the EDRs report late braking, hard turning, late night drives, or mileage over your yearly estimate, your premiums may actually increase.

With Big Brother always watching you as you drive, you may have another reason to be a safer and slower driver.

Before EDRs arrive on Indian shores (or are they surreptitiously here already?), what is your viewpoint on these devices?

(Acknowledgement/Source)

[wildon]

First we need a regulatory body like NHTSA of US which can control the manufacturers rather than the manufacturers controls the regulatory body.

We all know the present situation of Lemon Law, Recalls , consumer protection law in India and how its works here.

Most our laws are of British age and has to be re written first.

[directinjection]

An excellent move! I had been thinking about it myself for some time. Will the EDR include a camera too? That'll help in fixing liability in the event of a crash.

[GTO]

I fully support this move and hope that, one day, these systems make it to India. Of course, we would need to have the necessary regulatory & enforcement infrastructure to reap the benefits.

Driving is a privilege, not a right. Bad driving - whether intentional or unintentional - can & does kill people (including innocent others on the road). Anything that can help get down to the root cause of accidents, provide solutions and even make drivers safer (wouldn't you drive better if you knew your driving is being recorded?) is a hugely welcome move. Don't think this would go down well with the fiercely opinionated Americans though.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Many auto manufacturers already use these devices to help engineers and mechanics perform diagnostics tests and identify malfunctioning parts.

Tell me about it. The previous Merc's petrol engine started sputtering on the highway once. After a couple of minutes of rest, and engine switch off / on, the car managed to run just fine. Still, I drove the car to Auto Hangar the minute we were back home.

Was extremely surprised when the mechanic read out from the "Star Diagnostics system" the exact time, speed & accelerator input that the problem had occurred at. It's a different matter that they were never able to nail the problem (yes, it resurfaced later) . Not even the expert German engineer who was visiting from the Pune plant.

Originally Posted by directinjection

Will the EDR include a camera too? That'll help in fixing liability in the event of a crash.

Video might be a bit too much in terms of privacy and data storage capacity requirements.

[v&v]

I feel its too early for India to implement EDR. OBD are not yet fully implemented by Indian manufactures and used to its potential !

IMO for me its invasion of privacy. Until implemented under stricter regulation, it will be a failure. To start with it will be better used for diagnostic purpose. But similar process is already used in OBD as freeze frame data. its too an event recorder.

[GreaseMonk]

Another potential use would be during re-sale of a vehicle. If consumers have the option of paying for reports from the EDR regarding how the seller has driven the car during their ownership, it can be used to determine its value based on how abused\pampered it was. This system could work in a manner similar to Carfax reports in the states. Except you would be paying an agency to collect data from the EDR and compile it into report form.

[NinadJoshi]

Nice thread.

My 2 cents worth:

As of today, an automobile EDR is a device that captures key vehicle and occupant information, with an information buffer of just a few seconds before and during the airbag deployment. I am not sure that an EDR can be used as a 'monitoring' device. Vehicle Telematics providers like OnStar in the USA and others elsewhere are already monitoring and sucking data/info off of you at the drivers seat in every possible way there is, just like Google is from the computer user.

EDR presents a definite utility in helping separate fact from fiction and speculation in accidents, but on the other side the data stored in the EDR belongs to the owner of the vehicle. Anyone who wants access to that data (insurance company, police investigators, auto R&D teams etc) has to get explicit owner consent to do so. (A court order can supersede all owner rights).

EDR's have not really changed the way people drive because of two facts (1) They are completely inconspicuous....most people don't even know their vehicles have EDR's, hence there is no awareness-induced incentive to change their driving style. As of 2005, 65% of the cars sold in USA came with EDR's. As of today that number may be even higher. There are no indications that having the knowledge of having an EDR in a car has made a driver think twice about his driving habits. (2) An EDR is has material significance only when the airbag deploys, i.e. after an accident has already occurred. If an EDR was some sort of a fore-warning device then yes, it surely will help change peoples driving habits. But it isn't. It does not beep and tell a driver that the car is moving at 120 mph so better slow down, or, that based on the lateral G-forces getting recorded the driver is changing lanes dangerously so he should be more cautious henceforth, etc. An EDR is not a 'long range trend recorder' but a 'small window' recorder, so it can not be held as a credible source to validate a driver's historic driving profile and habits. The time span of an EDR's activity is too small to justify anything about a driver.

[Brabus E V12]

It depends what type of EDR is installed in a vehicle and what you want from the device.

I can assure you that the installation of a visble EDR changes the driving habits and increases fuel efficiency. I know this as I have dealt with the introduction and installation of a driver's aid which is basically an EDR in my organisation. The techonology is basically an In Vehicle Unit installed in each vehicle within the organisation. This unit senses the forces that impact the vehicle when it is in motion, and interprets and categorises them into up to 120 different manoeuvres. Each manoeuvre is evaluated in five categories: acceleration, braking, lane changing, corner handling, and speed handling.

In a nutshell, there is a dash mounted unit which has three lights - red, amber and green. The unit enables manoeuvres to be analysed to give drivers continuous in-vehicle feedback in real time via the colour coded dash mounted display. The dash mounted LEDs reflect the driver’s current safety trend (as shown in the picture). It has increased the fuel efficiency by 5-7% across the company's operating sites.

I think such a technology would benefit the Indian drivers as it will not only lead to better driving but also fuel savings.