Do you have a black box in your car?

[James]

News today that investigators pulled the data from a Ford Fusion that was going 68mph then slowed to 30mph while trying to weave through a train crossing in Detroit, all five car occupants/teens/Chicago area residents died when the Amtrak broadsided it.

Click to read more...

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

nope. i dont even have an immobilizer key.

 

[Bad00SS]

what year did they start this black box deal?

 

[Eagle]

Interesting info on black boxes:
http://www.expertlaw.com/library/accidents/auto_black_boxes.html
http://www.expertlaw.com/library/accidents/auto_black_boxes-4.html

Looks like it only holds 5sec worth of data and has been in most cars "since the late 90's" according to the above source.

Article on the crash:
http://www.freep.com/article/999999...EWS06&template=theme&theme=CANTON_TRAIN_CRASH

 

[Fish]

Id imagine the PCM of cars could store 5 seconds of info. However, if the car idled at the end of a crash, there wouldnt be anything to see. At least, I wouldnt think so. Could be wrong though.

 

[Eagle]

Perhaps not RPM wise, but seatbelt on/off, possibly brake pedal switch state, airbag state, etc would definitely still be relevant.

 

[hubage]

In most cases black boxes lock in the data when the airbags go off. So even if you leave the car on after an accident, it still has the data from the the instant the bags went off and however many seconds before hand. Technically the black box is yours, unless your insurance company totals it, which gives them the title, then they can look at it. Or they just ask to view it and if you say no, they will probably deny your claim. These are only looked at in extreme cases though, it's not an everyday thing on every claim. It's a couple hundred bucks to pay a company to read the box.

Also, different cars hold different parameters. Some are very basic and not useful while other have a lot. It was originally intend to help automakers design safer vehicles. Though ulterior motives of covering their asses in the case of a product liability case also comes to mind.

(background: I was an insurance adjuster previously)

My GTO does not, I believe because the fact it was made in Australia and GM didn't feel like changing things.

 

[Turk]

Unfortunately, my car monitors EVERYTHING. BMW can see everything I do.

 

[MuffHugger]

Unfortunately, my car monitors EVERYTHING. BMW can see everything I do.

I bet they were bowrofling when they saw you miss third










sorry, I had to.

 

[Turk]

:madfawk:

 

[MuffHugger]

Oh and in this case they were looking at the EBCM (electronic brake control module) which is a part of the ABS system.

 

[bikrboy128]

Oh and in this case they were looking at the EBCM (electronic brake control module) which is a part of the ABS system.

:tmyk: