Hi - anyone know if Honda is using these in there new line of cars?

 

Sorry - for those of you that do not know what these are they are data recorders for speed, velocity, etc. that can be recalled after an accident. Similar to a "black box" that are on planes. Do a basic serach on the web and you can come up with a number of references. The fact that EVERY General Motors car made today has them is concerning. Check it out.

 

i don't recall reading about it in the manual, but that doesn't mean our cars don't have them.

 

I rather like the idea of having that little box in my car sitting there, recording the fact that I'm driving under the speed limit and not doing anything stupid, ready to clear me should some @$$w1p3 come and rear end, t-bone, or otherwise ruin my day. Likewise, I hope there's one in their car to record in glorious detail how they were doing double the legal limit and never even tapped their brakes before slamming into me.

Knowing your car is going to tattle might calm at least a handful of these crazy-**** Columbus drivers down.

 

True - but like mentioned earlier, if I were "going with the flow of traffic" and involved in a freeway accident (where I was going 8 miles over the limit say) that would put me at fault as well - and for not really being a crazy driver.

However - like you said - there is a case where a MBZ and a Corvette were racing side by side and the Vette plowed into a jeep, killing the driver and passenger. When both racers were interviewed they stated they were doing 50-55 mph. But... the cops downloaded the data off the EDR of the Vette and the speed of the Vette reflected 139 mph. The driver was charged with some level of murder due to the details of the case (it's out there somewhere).

So - your right about keeping people honest if they knew it was on board.

 

Hopefully you'll forgive me for not going with the flow

 

what, is this russia? shoulda used an eagle.

 

I just saw this at a store. Plug it into your OBDII socket and after the trip(s) - download the data to your PC. Tons of data, including sharp accelerations, and heavy breaking. One of the selling points is "know how your kids are REALLY driving".

Only downside is you can't use this and ScanGage at the same time.

 

I don't like the idea of a edr for one reason (and its not because i speed). I don't like it because they aren't recalibrated at all after they leave the manufacturer. There is no way to tell whether that 139mph that corvette was doing according to the edr was accurate. The edr is an electrical system and ALL electrical/mechanical systems are prone to error and breakdown.

The edr is designed to record roughly the last 10 seconds prior to the accident and then the event and usually if possible 1 second after the event. An accident is usually a pretty violent event. I somehow don't think these things are designed to the same specifications as an aircraft black box. I heard an interview with a guy who advocates for these and even he said they're not 100% infalliable.

If a cop can't give you a speeding ticket without some sort of calibrated device then I don't think that a uncalibrated black box should be allowed to send someone to prison for 30+ years.

btw, our cars do not have an edr (or at least all of the sites that I've gone to say that they don't - however as of 1/1/2007 they will be required in all new cars sold in NY for use in NY.) I can only guess that other states are going to go that route too.

 

While I'm sure the calibration will drift over time, I rather doubt it'll be more than maybe plus/minus 5-10%. At standard highway speeds (65mph for anyone not in Montana), that means, at worst, it'll accuse you of going 72mph when you're really doing the limit. Most cops here in Ohio won't usually pull you over for that unless they're having a crummy day and need something to fill their time since they know someone won't be too far behind doing 80. At any rate, something would have to be seriously wrong with the EDR for it to accuse you of doing 140mph when you were really only at 70mph, and any decent accident reconstruction would be able to clear you of that sort of excess.