Feds Want 'Black Boxes', More Regulation In All CarsCHARLOTTE, NC- A small device in your car could track every move you make - and you may not know it. "Black boxes" - or Event Data Recorders - track everything from when you take off your seat belt to when you slam the brakes. The "blacl boxes" are already in over 90 percent of cars and now the government wants more. The feds also want access to all the information. "The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposal is to place black boxes in all cars and to access more points of information ," said Lauren Fix, The Car Coach. Right now, they help auto makers find defects and record what happens seconds before an accident. "Only the manufacturer, which is GMC, Honda, or Chrysler can get that information out of that black box," said Collision Safety Consultants Owner Billy Walkowiak. The ACLU says that shouldn't be the case. They argue that anyone who owns the car should have access to the information on the black box, not just the manufactures. "That information can be used against you in court, can be used to tax you and it's not helpful to consumers. It's information that the government wants so that they can make more rules and regulations,” said Fix. The ACLU says the 'Black Boxes' are an invasion of privacy and should not be used in court. "We don't want to see innocent people wrongly convicted of things because software bugs and the way you prevent software bugs and allow defense attorneys to make sure there aren't bugs is to make sure the computer code in these devices is an open source to all," said Jay Stanley, ACLU Senior Policy Analyst. Supporters say data from the boxes can eliminate "He say, She say" after accidents. "What you get if they're used properly is scientific, objective data which is what we want. We want to know what happens so we can improve your vehicle and make it a little safer - cut down fatalities and cut down injuries," said Tom Kowalik, member of the IEEE Vehicular Technology. The National Highway Traffic Safety administration wants 'Black Boxes' in all cars by September of 2014. You have until February 11 to comment on the proposal. |
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