madrob2020

Own '16 Z & am leaving it with a shop next week for paint correction & CQuartz Finest coating so wanted to set up Valet/PDR to monitor if it was abused. We-l-l-l, by accident I found the description of the Event Data Recorder. It is designed to record about 30 secs or less info if our car is in an accident such as (out of manual):How various systems were operating at the time, whether driver or passenger was wearing seat-belt, how far (if at all) the driver was depressing the gas or brake pedal, & HOW FAST CAR WAS GOING! It takes special equipment to read the EDR & it will be released to Law Enforcement or similar gov. agency in response to an OFFICIAL REQUEST including GM in the defense of LITIGATION against them.

Aerovette

I don't think this is news to many. It's been going on for quite a while for many cars.

Foosh

Yep, it's been on many vehicles for many years now, and is the car equivalent of an aircraft flight data recorder used in accident investigation. It's generally only used in cases involving fatal accidents.

As you said, it's not transmitting data anywhere, and can only be read out in conjunction w/ an official law enforcement investigation.

tarepas

Any car with OBDIII has it. Started in the late 1990's.

VNAMVET

You think that's bad onstar's watching you every second that you drive knowing how fast you go, how quick you stop, where you are.........scary.......

PatternDayTrader

Sounds like something that should be disabled, just like OnStar.

BlueDevilZ51

Every car since 1996 OBD2 has recorded those parameters

mcoomer

I understand that it's been a feature of millions of cars for years, but I also understand the concern. Personally, I believe that once I've paid someone for a product or service and "own it" I should be able to decide exactly what data it's recording, how it's being used, and whether to allow data to be recorded at all. I can't say that I read every line of my purchase agreement but I wonder if there's anything in there covering that data and the transfer of any data to OnStar and GM? A lot of software companies are now saying that even though you paid for the software, you don't really own it. Not even your own copy! You're simply licensed to use it.

Moreover, this is more common than most people realize. Have a shiny, new smart TV? Vizio was ordered to stop collecting certain data that was being collected by their connected television sets. Alexa? Amazon is constantly collecting data that is transmitted to them via your Echo, Dot, or Show and monetizes that data. Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, Facebook...any of the variety of online services you visit keep tabs on what you're doing when you're on their site, and many continue that collection in the background when you're not visiting them. Your ISP collects data on every move you make on the Internet. Funny thing is, we give them permission to do pretty much whatever they want when we agree to their terms of service. Companies are literally making billions of dollars monetizing the data we give them.

Worried about what your car might say to the authorities? That's small potatoes.

madrob2020

You're not paranoid if they are really watching you.

Foosh

I disagree.

Anyone using public roads who kills or maims someone deserves to be held accountable. Moreover, manufacturers have the right to protect themselves against frivolous law suits. Fundamentally, it's no different than the requirement to have a license plate on a vehicle allowing an owner to be identified.

Use of public infrastructure is not a right, it's a privilege granted to those willing to play by the rules

jimmie jam

I agree with your "disagree". We all seem to forget that driving a vehicle is a privilege NOT a right.......it goes both ways.

Walt White Coupe

So you're responsibly driving down the road obeying the law and all of a sudden another driver breaking the law (distracted, speeding, blowing a stop sign, etc.) crashes into your car. Do you want the authorities to be able to access that data from the car that crashed into you if that driver claims he was not breaking any law or worse claims that the crash was your fault?

Aerovette

I can understand your concern but let me ask you a question.

If a member of your family were to be killed in an accident, would you want to know what the data recorder showed? Would you refuse to access data that could determine that they had significant wheel spin, redline RPMs and pulling 1g at the time of impact versus tooling along at 45?

Not attacking, but it is easier to take the privacy position when it applies to ourselves, but less desirable when a possible perpetrator is being protected.

mcoomer

Absolutely agree that people should be held accountable for their actions, especially if a serious injury or fatality is involved. What I'm saying is that law enforcement should not be given carte blanche access to anyones data. Or any search for that matter. We're protected from unlawful search by the 4th amendment. So, the officers at the scene use all the tools at their disposal. For decades prior to OBD they would analyze the scene and use eyewitness accounts to determine what happened. What happens when they scan your OBD data and don't find data relevant to the accident but notice something that incriminates you for something else?

Aerovette

If data is on a rolling 30 seconds, by the time they approach the car, their window of opportunity has pretty much slammed shut.

BlueDevilZ51

It locks in data for the 30 seconds preceding an airbag deployment

50th year

Sounds like the old slippery slope to me.

Aerovette

Right, but addressing the gestapo fear, the 30 seconds is a rolling 30, correct?

whalepirot

MY (sold) '95 740i went to a stealer for a check, whereupon I was asked "You drive this car kinda hard, right?". Post my minor shock, I asked if it indeed is the "Ultimate Driving Machine" and if an occasional redline kiss would hurt it.

From the No Alexa, No Siri, no smart TV zone, which also keeps me out of newer Corvettes.

It took a legal threat from the Airline Pilots Association to ensure (30 minute loop tape) Flight Data Recorder info was only used as provided for in Federal Regs: for accident investigation. This after TV broadcast the dying words of three Delta pilots to their families and the world, after a DFW accident. Fake news is not new, but at least it's sensational and irrelevant.

Some pilots, reportedly, pulled power to those units until the Feds complied with the legalities.

Avanti

Welcome to the "Brave New World." Glad you finally decided to join us.

...and, you WILL like it!!!