Released: August 22, 2006

Right to know if vehicles have ‘black box’

Source: Associated Press [Detroit Free Press]

Automakers will be required to tell owners if their vehicle has an event data recorder, commonly called a black box, the government said Monday.

In the seconds before, during and after a crash, the data recorder can provide information about a vehicle’s speed and acceleration, and whether air bags were deployed, brakes were applied and seat belts were being worn.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that, beginning with 2011 model-year vehicles, automakers will need to disclose the existence of the technology in owners manuals.

The data recorders also will need to be more durable to protect the information during a crash, and must collect a uniform amount of data to help in the development of new safety regulations.

With more than 40,000 people killed on the roads each year, supporters of the black boxes contend they give investigators and automakers an extensive database that can help them design safer roads and vehicles.

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