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Proposed new federal rule could put 'big brother' in your driver's seat
Fox News ^ | August 12, 2013 | Doug McKelway

Posted on 08/12/2013 6:34:34 PM PDT by jazusamo

Video at source.

A proposed federal rule that would require black boxes or event data recorders (EDRs) in every U.S. automobile may mean “Big Brother” could be in your passenger seat for every drive.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rule requires all light passenger vehicles be equipped with an EDR by Sep.1, 2014. Ninety-six percent of new cars already have them - measuring such inputs as speed, lateral acceleration, pedal effort, seat belt use, wheel spin, steering wheel turn and direction.

Black box data retrieved from U.S. car accidents in a single day would provide more information than a year's worth of crash testing, says Tom Kowalick, who heads the design team that is standardizing the devices for automakers worldwide.

But he also said he fears that for all their potential good, the EDRs present a massive privacy dilemma, and an opportunity for fraudsters.

"They can take that odometer and roll that odometer back to zero,” he said. “They can change the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which is in the computer. And once they do that, then it's okay for them to very simply steal the motor vehicle and move it away."

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bigbrother; blackbox; cars; edr; fourthamendment; nhtsa
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To: miele man

“How long before they use this computer to track miles driven and then levy a tax per mile?”

I have OnStar on my CTS and my insurance provider gives me a discount based on the number of miles I drive. OnStar sends them the information automatically. Since I drive less than 2500 miles a year, it’s quite a savings. Plus, being an older female I feel safer having the OnStar emergency button.


41 posted on 08/12/2013 8:22:42 PM PDT by wayoverthehill
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

A very nice “older car”.


42 posted on 08/12/2013 8:39:23 PM PDT by Gator113
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To: wayoverthehill
I have OnStar on my CTS and my insurance provider gives me a discount based on the number of miles I drive. OnStar sends them the information automatically. Since I drive less than 2500 miles a year, it’s quite a savings. Plus, being an older female I feel safer having the OnStar emergency button.

Remove box from car
Place on a shelf in the garage
Power up box using a 12 VDC battery and a trickle charger
Let the stupid box report zero miles driven and watch as your stupid insurance company drops your rates to zero

Well, maybe not...

Regards,
GtG

43 posted on 08/12/2013 9:26:19 PM PDT by Gandalf_The_Gray (I live in my own little world, I like it 'cuz they know me here.)
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To: umgud

They can already do that to truckers. Most companies now have paperless log books. FedEx is the company that really pushed it.


44 posted on 08/12/2013 9:36:51 PM PDT by VerySadAmerican (Those who vote for evil because they can't see evil, are evil.)
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To: VerySadAmerican

Qualcom


45 posted on 08/12/2013 9:38:25 PM PDT by umgud (2A can't survive dem majorities)
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To: umgud

That’s it. Prevents lots of drivers from making any decent money. Also knocked a lot of smaller trucks off the road.


46 posted on 08/12/2013 9:45:59 PM PDT by VerySadAmerican (Those who vote for evil because they can't see evil, are evil.)
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To: jazusamo

I’ll keep my 1965 chevy PU and my 1936 Chevy custom 3 window coupe since they don’t have a computer of any kind!

Guess I’ll have to dump my wife.s Lexus and get her a hot rod also!


47 posted on 08/12/2013 9:47:06 PM PDT by dalereed
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To: nascarnation

“Most have had it for 10 yrs or more.”

Define “it”.

Neither the 2013 Subaru or 2007 Acura have the tattle tale box on them, that monitors & records speed, braking, etc.


48 posted on 08/13/2013 10:55:18 AM PDT by G Larry (Let his days be few; and let another take his office. Psalms 109:8)
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To: G Larry

According to NHTSA, 96% of 2013 models already have this feature built into the powertrain controller.

Perhaps Subaru is part of the 4%?


49 posted on 08/13/2013 11:31:41 AM PDT by nascarnation (Democrats control the Presidency, Senate, and Media. It's an uphill climb....)
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To: G Larry

Subaru had them back in 05, so I doubt they have deleted them in 2013

http://www.iihs.org/research/qanda/edr.aspx

NHTSA estimated that about 64 percent of 2005 model passenger vehicles had the devices. By 2005, General Motors, Ford, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Suzuki were all voluntarily equipping all of their vehicles with EDRs, according to NHTSA. 3 Recent information from NHTSA indicates that 91.6 percent of new passenger vehicles have EDRs, although those EDRs may not include all of the data elements specified in the NHTSA rule.


50 posted on 08/13/2013 11:41:22 AM PDT by nascarnation (Democrats control the Presidency, Senate, and Media. It's an uphill climb....)
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