Black Boxes to Track Driving Habits?

Nofsck Ingcloo writes "Nando Times is reporting on a new model of black boxes to track teens' driving habits. 'This is like having a parent sitting next to him second by second.... The kids don't like it, but the parents love it.... Originally developed... for ambulances and fire trucks to reduce crashes, the black box is a stripped-down version of that model.' So, how long before the insurance companies persuade the states to mandate these devices in every car? Or raise our rates hugely and then give a little of it back if we put in the box?"

Another submitter sent in a related submission about the collision data recorders in many late-model cars - which serve a similar purpose as the black boxes described above, but generally only record the last five seconds before an accident.

geemon writes "With the recent stories of rental car companies using GPS to track how and where their patrons are using their vehicles, this information about autos from 1996 and newer having an airplane-like accident "black box" capability was a complete surprise. Tucked under the drivers seat of most GM vehicles, the "black box" can store a variety of info such as vehicle and engine speed, braking, and seat belt usage. Info from an accident reconstruction service that uses this data can be found here. Called "event data recorders", these devices were, "...Originally designed to improve air bag performance based on the severity of the collision, the event data recorder can tell traffic accident investigators about the car's speed; engine RPMs; how far the accelerator pedal was pressed; if the brakes were applied; whether the drivers seatbelt was buckled and what warning lights were on - all from five seconds before impact..." It seems that GM and perhaps Ford have been using this for some time. Here is one company that makes the Windows based retrieval hardware/software combo for $2500. Imagine the uses of this data that law enforcement, your insurance company, and lawyers may have after your next little mishap."

No, *Insurance* Owns Your Car

[Myriad]

Since you own the car (and thus the black box) I would assume that if anyone did want to get ahold of it against your will they would have to get a court order.

No you don't own the car - or rather, you won't in a moment.

Having been in a crash that totaled my vehicle (gotta love people who turn left in front of you without looking) I can tell you what happens:
After the police and reporting nonsense your vehicle (or parts remaining of) go to a garage or adjusters location to be assessed. Once assessed the insurance company will tell you how much they will give you for it.

Here's the catch: They are buying the car off you.

When you go to collect your $ you sign and turn over the ownership, giving the insurance company total ownership. They are now free to do what they will with it... including checking the "black box".

So if you're car is totaled you might want to pull the box if you can. Mind you, they might have a few questions for you about where it went.

Similar Product, different MO

[ONU CS Geek]

I work for a company who sells iTRAKs [databurst.com] and we customize these and can include Verizon [verizonwireless.com] or NexTel [nextel.com] phones to parents and companys that have fleet vehicles. We've sold alot of units to parents who want to know what their kids are doing when they take the cars (or their husbands, or their wifes). They can go online and see how fast the car was going; where, when, and for how long the car was stopped (down to the city block if not the address); we've got a device that can even prevent the car from being started that integrated into these devices...and you'd be suprised how many parents put these in the cars to monitor their child's activities.

It monitors speed (how fast they were driing), seat belt status (if they had the seat belts buckled), how many people were in the car (pressure-sensitive switches in the seats), and can be configured remotely by the parents--I don't have kids myself (only 22), but it's a great 'rule enforcer' for kids who have broken their parents trust when it comes to driving, but situations (e.g., school, work, etc) prevent the parent from totally acting the 'take the keys away and lock the doors' approach for punishment.

We have some companies who use these in their fleet vehicles or secondary finance market vehicles so they can look online and see where their cars are, prevent the cars from starting, see how many people have been riding with the driver, and send/receive text messages to/from the driver.

We market the product as informational use only, but people are using it in a Big Brother kind of sense. That bugs me--but that's another story for another day.

Re:Fucking motorcycles

[Anonymous Coward]

Because if they are going at the speed limit its completely legal for them to do that. There is no law that makes 2 vehicals, side by side in the same lane illegal. Proof of this fact can be seen in wide right hand lanes that allow drivers to make a right and not be hampered by everyone who is going forward.

There is one small exception. Both vehicals must be able to fit in the lane. A motorbike can do this easily. However if they are forced to change lanes (to avoid angry motorists like you), they must signal. Thats about all that applies. Also, beware it is a felony to open your car door to impeed a passing motorbike. I believe manslaughter, or at least attempted pending outcome.

And no, I don't ride a bike. My father was a cop.

IEEE is creating a standard

[alanjstr]

Perhaps you recall the previous Slashdot article [slashdot.org] about IEEE designing an automotive black-box standard [eet.com].

"Eleven of the 45 companies that build passenger cars worldwide already use some kind of black-box technology, according to representatives of the IEEE. The best-known of those is General Motors Corp., which said three years ago that it includes the device, known as a sensing and diagnostics module, as part of its airbag sensing systems on most GM vehicles. The module can store such information as engine speed, vehicle speed, airbag deployment, seat belt deployment and the state of the brakes before and during an accident. "

Re:Paranoia

[Apps]

It is here!!!!
In Ireland anyway - where insurance is VERY expensive (mine is ~2000 euro for a 1.6l Nissan Primera (1994)) they are offering discounts for carrying a black box with GPS that phones home and you _can_ get speeding tickets based on the data returned!

What will happen next is that they will produce statistics as to how much safer these people were and make the rest of us have them. (they will be safer because people who will accept these in their cars are prople who are over cautious anyway - they are self selecting)