Drivers find a snitch - Yahoo! News

Drivers find a snitch - Yahoo! News: "Drivers find a snitch

Fri Jan 6, 7:30 AM ET

It's common knowledge that airplanes have 'black boxes' that record flight data so safety experts can reconstruct what went wrong after an accident. But few motorists are aware that their late-model cars contain similar devices - and that police and insurers might use the data against them.
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Six states (Arkansas, California, Nevada, New York, North Dakota and Texas) have recently passed laws requiring that automakers notify motorists of the devices, known as event data recorders (EDRs), and limiting access to them. Nevada's law, which took effect Jan. 1, requires the owner's permission before data can be retrieved.

In the absence of any federal guidelines, the states are wise to set some parameters. The devices, the size of a pack of cigarettes, are in more than 70% of all new passenger vehicles, foreign and domestic. The
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) wants them in every new car sold in America, but that fortunately hasn't yet happened because of privacy concerns.

EDRs monitor speed, braking, seat-belt use, steering and more. Ideally, the data can sort out responsibility for accidents and lead to improved vehicle design.

But will police download the data to assign blame after a crash? Can auto insurers use the information to raise premiums or cancel policies? Will lawyers demand access in order to sue you or others? The answers are unclear. Few guidelines exist over who owns the data, and court rulings vary.

With the spread of the devices and NTSB's pressure to mandate them, it's time for the federal government to establish reasonable rules so that all motorists are informed of the devices' presence and who owns them.

EDRs can lead to safety improvements. But it's wrong to demand that motorists ride with a silent snitch under the hood."