Event Data Recording

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Event Data Recording

Your vehicle is fitted with an event data recorder, which is capable of collecting and storing data during a crash or near crash event. The recorded information may assist in the investigation of such an event. To access this information, special equipment must be directly connected to the recording modules. Ford does not access event data recorder information without obtaining consent, unless pursuant to a court order or where required by law enforcement, other government authorities or other third parties acting with lawful authority. Other parties may seek to access the information independently of Ford.

Noticed this little blurb in the Owner’s Manual; does anyone have any idea what data it captures? Do they put black boxes in these things now?

[Fat-Tony]

Not sure but a good guess would be engine RPM, gear the cars in, speed.

[ZAP]

Speed, steering imput, throttle position, G Forces and events such as brake application, airbag deployment.

I am sure most cars post 2000 have them. It only records the last 10-30 seconds, a bit like a black box.

I seem to remember a Audi driver in Oz getting a court order preventing the police from getting access to his black box a year or so ago after a serious accident.

I guess it could be handy to prove innocence, but could easily be the opposite.

[tab]

Didn't notice it in the BA but it could have been there. Now I drive along waiting for "this is Big Brother"

[Guest newl]

Funny this should come up. Was reading up on just this thing earlier on a Slashdot article. Grab your tin foil hats boys and have a read.

[phantomchic]

Didn't notice it in the BA but it could have been there.  Now I drive along waiting for "this is Big Brother"

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tab you have broken the rules go directly to the punishment room and polish and wax the vehicle

[Iconic Bionic]

Data recorders like these are used for a number of reasons.

1. Serious motor vehicle collisions where persons are seriously injured or killed and a determination on the driver and vehicle at fault cannot not be made. Most commonly for a coronial matter, however under the NSW evidence Act, any item believed to be involved or used in the commision of an offence can be seized without warrant or court order.

2. Warranty claims on the vehicle, to see what broke and what was going on when it broke. Ford may claim they dont check the recordins but do we really believe this when they cna look the records up and not tell us.

3. Insurance companies claim the vehicle was being used for an ilegal street race and subpoena the records to avoid paying out a claim.

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But what data does it actually record?

[Iconic Bionic]

Many different areas, the most common being speed at time of collision, brakes applied, abs active or not active, revs of engine, what gear was in. Such data would be recorded for the last minute leading up to the event and would show speed of vehicle entering a corner for example.

Many other areas area also monitored.

For example driver dies in a crash and no record of brakes being applied exists and speed of vehicle is within limits of road travelled, could indicate driver died while driving vehicle and as a result of the crash, as brakes were not applied and therefore was no fault or failure of anyone.

[Venom XR6]

Paranoia runs deep here. No need for alarm, all the data is put into a database that is then used as information on real life crashes, which Ford safety engineers research as a way of finding out how well the safety systems worked and what can be done to improve them. They like to study real world crashes to validate the work they do. AFAIK in Australia no one can use the data against you, but I have heard of it being used in the US when a guy doing twice the speed limit in his Vette mowed down a kid and the data was used by the police to prove he was speeding at the point of impact. I'm 99% sure it can't be used here though.