EDRs

Big business conspiracy, or smarter, safer driving?

Somebody’s watching, and they’re watching you drive.

They’re called EDRs or electronic data recorders. That’s like a little black box for and airplane. But this one’s in your car. They record how fast you’re driving, how hard you’re braking, all kinds of stuff.

Unlike airplane black boxes, EDRs don’t record the last thing you say… before an accident.

I’m driving. Lol. Send.

Maybe they should.

Love it or hate it, the big question is, “When do they come out?”

Auto manufacturers have been sneaking these little babies into cars since the year 2000.

In fact, most new cars on the road have them. But does yours? There’s a good chance it does. If you’re curious, start by checking the owners manual or poking around online. Some manufacturers are upfront and openly admit they’ve installed EDRs, but some don’t.

So why don’t they tell you about it? Is there some reason you shouldn’t want one in your car?

The NHTSA passed a bill that requires auto manufacturers to mention EDRs in the owner’s manual. But of course they did it government style. They don’t have to start putting it in the owner’s manual until 2011.

How much time does it take to add, “This vehicle contains an EDR” to an owners manual? Uhhh, five years… that ought to do it.

If your car has one, what can you do about it? Not much. You can live with it, or trade it in for a different, probably older, car. EDRs are likely to have integrated computer systems and be difficult, if not impossible, to remove or disable.

Automakers claim information from EDRs helps them with recalls and maintenance, effectively making your car safer.

Opponents say it’s a violation of your personal privacy. When you take your car in to get it looked at, there’s really no telling what they’ll do with the information they get out of it.

And while courts have upheld that you own the information in your EDR, they can and are used in accident and criminal investigations.

No officer, I swear I wasn’t speeding.

Really the final call is up to you. Maybe EDRs are great, maybe they’re evil. But they are in most new cars, and we figure, that’s something you ought to know.

They’re watching you.

Transcribed by: Caitlin Y.

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