Black boxes on cars aren’t entirely new. Last year, we wrote to you about a new plan initiated by federal officials to use black boxes on all cars. Well, after months of waiting, it seems that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is on the verge of implementing the use of event data recorders, also called black boxes, in new vehicles. The White House Office of Management Budget has recently reviewed and approved the said proposal. This means that it is now up to the NHTSA to finalize the standard.
The NHTSA predicts, assuming that the annual vehicle sales go up to 15.5 million, that automakers will see a $24.4 million increase in costs, should the law be implemented. Of course, the main issue here is probably not the cost, but privacy. Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, group of automobile manufacturers that includes Toyota, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz, are asking the NHTSA to consider privacy.
“Event data recorders help our engineers understand how cars perform in the real world, but looking forward, we need to make sure we preserve privacy,” said Gloria Bergquist, a spokeswoman. “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.” What are your thoughts on this report? Do you think that black boxes on cars are invading your privacy?
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