Do our cars record data?

chris26969 · #1 02-12-2004, 02:38 PM

I was reading on some site that theres a guy named Rusty Haight and he crashes cars into each other and he claims that in most 97+ cars they have a piece of technology that records data and stores it , Speed,RPM, etc right before a crash (probably retains the info if the air bags are deployed) . Do these civics have that?

GScivic7 · #2 02-12-2004, 05:02 PM

Interesting, I have never heard of that besides the black boxes on airplanes. I think I will do some research on this.

1995 geo tracker · #3 02-12-2004, 06:21 PM

i know newer GM cars have what you would call a little black boxs , the company says that it used only for their info and research for when a vehicle is in a accident but alot of people think that the insurance company will use the info against someone in a accident

chris26969 · #4 02-12-2004, 09:44 PM

interesting.

Im still wondering why it took me till today to find out about this technology. Its not very well known is it?

I could see where the "black box" works against you.

I wonder if the Civic has this "black box"

mycivic · #5 02-12-2004, 09:50 PM

Not that I know of. I dont think the civic has black box.

B1SiR6A · #6 02-12-2004, 10:06 PM

Black Boxes ?...Lets leave that to the airplanes

eckoman_pdx · #7 02-12-2004, 10:24 PM

No, it's true. There are "black boxes" in some cars now. It basically stores data like was said above, speed, rpm, throttle, braking, airbags, the car's sensor readingd, etc. It is true, that the automotive manufactorer's deveolped this so that they could analyize them after a crash and see how the saftey systems performed under the circumstances. That way, they felt, they could have real life info and use this to improve the safty systems. However, some prosicutors, insurance companies, and other legel parties involved after a wreck have tried to go to court so that they can make the information from the "black box" availibe in a court of law. They feel the box wil show what really happened, so in some cases they have tried to go to court to make it abmisable. I know that they have won and gotten it abmissable before a few times (around the country), but I also know that thier motion has been overruled before. I know last year, Dateline had a story on this, and the raging debate over how they should be allowed to be used. What has happened since then in regards to this, I am not sure. I do not know whether 97 + civic's have these or not. But they were orginally intended by the OEM's to analyze data to aid in improving safty systems, not to aid insurence in determianing in the innocent or guilty party. It's the prosicution, insurence, lawyers, etc, who sometimes want to use it to show "the conditions under which the wreck occured."

mycivic · #8 02-12-2004, 10:28 PM

There may be black boxes in some cars at present but as for the civic, not that I know of.

Vehicles having these so called black boxes has its pros and cons. Looking at the benefits...car manufacturers can study data and improve the safety of the vehicles they produce.

chris26969 · #9 02-12-2004, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eckoman_pdx

No, it's true. There are "black boxes" in some cars now. It basically stores data like was said above, speed, rpm, throttle, braking, airbags, the car's sensor readingd, etc. It is true, that the automotive manufactorer's deveolped this so that they could analyize them after a crash and see how the saftey systems performed under the circumstances. That way, they felt, they could have real life info and use this to improve the safty systems. However, some prosicutors, insurance companies, and other legel parties involved after a wreck have tried to go to court so that they can make the information from the "black box" availibe in a court of law. They feel the box wil show what really happened, so in some cases they have tried to go to court to make it abmisable. I know that they have won and gotten it abmissable before a few times (around the country), but I also know that thier motion has been overruled before. I know last year, Dateline had a story on this, and the raging debate over how they should be allowed to be used. What has happened since then in regards to this, I am not sure. I do not know whether 97 + civic's have these or not. But they were orginally intended by the OEM's to analyze data to aid in improving safty systems, not to aid insurence in determianing in the innocent or guilty party. It's the prosicution, insurence, lawyers, etc, who sometimes want to use it to show "the conditions under which the wreck occured."

Very interesting. I wouldnt be surprised if one day in technology insurance companies wouldnt mandatorily check these black boxes and see how often you speed.... just a thought.

Anyone else have any more information on this interesting topic?

mycivic · #10 02-12-2004, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris26969

Very interesting. I wouldnt be surprised if one day in technology insurance companies wouldnt mandatorily check these black boxes and see how often you speed.... just a thought.

Anyone else have any more information on this interesting topic?

Another good point. Could be a form of invading a privacy.

eckoman_pdx · #11 02-12-2004, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mycivic

Another good point. Could be a form of invading a privacy.

This is a good example, of how not all new technology made to help is a good thing. As this examples show, there are ways it can be misused, which is never a good thing to have happen.

Miataracer · #12 02-13-2004, 09:24 AM

good thing I have an older Civic... but for those who might have one of these "black boxes" I would learn all I can about it, find it, and take the d@mn thing out!!

damir831 · #13 02-13-2004, 12:06 PM

I know M3s have them. Many people drive the car off the lot and try to race it before it's even broken in. If something happens to the engine, the dealership won't cover the costs. It can read and store your RPM.

civicangel · #14 02-13-2004, 03:02 PM

we used to have a montana van untill my bro crashed it, and there was question on if it was driver fault or if it was the car. we didnt know about the box until the dealer rep asked us if he could look at it to see all the info. From what i know he got speed (10 sec b4 the crash and on impact), if the gas or breake was being used if air bags were deployed and there was more but i dont remember. basically he wanted to see who was at fault and he said that he didnt have to show anyone else (cops) o and in the van it was placed right behind the glovebox.
just thought id share that.

eckoman_pdx · #15 02-14-2004, 01:47 AM

I agree with Miataracer, if you have a black box...find that sucker and rip it out...and if it's part of the ecu in the car...then so be it, pay the money and switch to an aftermarket standalone ECU, which won't have a black box...To me, it'd be worth the trouble and costs to remove it...that's an invasion or privacy IMO...and I don't care what the dealership tells me in that regard...that black box is BS, and I don't want one on my car...as Miataracer said, good thing I have an older civic.

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