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U.S. weighs post-Toyota "black box" for cars

Reuters -- U.S. safety regulators are weighing whether to make "black boxes" mandatory for all new vehicles in response to recent unintended acceleration problems in Toyota Motor Corp vehicles.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration chief David Strickland told a congressional hearing the agency would be looking at the possibility of requiring the devices that can capture data on speed, braking effort and other details.

Strickland also said he was conducting a full review of NHTSA's legal authority and whether it had the tools necessary to oversee automakers at a time when vehicles are becoming increasingly sophisticated.


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Submitted Mar 11, 2010 By: Mudsprings
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Author Topic: U.S. weighs post-Toyota "black box" for cars Post a Reply Back to Topics
REPLIES (newest first)
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PartsStore
Sophomore Author West Virginia

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 3:23:49 AM

Up goes the prices.
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Pozole
Champion Author Portland

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 3:05:29 AM

...here comes Big Brother...AGAIN...
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14of45SSR
Champion Author Saskatchewan

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 2:52:45 AM

Some vehicles already have the computer recording information for certain periods of time while you drive it so it can tell the mechanic if you drove the vehicle like a race car or not.
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RENEGADEGAS
Champion Author Missouri

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 2:32:53 AM

bobdec...Your 100% correct. What else will this black box tell them? Will they be able to track your every move? Sounds like invasion of privacy to me, but since thats what hussien wants, I guess its just called "change"
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speedys
Champion Author Utah

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 2:31:52 AM

Not a very feasible requirement.
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GMVAN
Champion Author Calgary

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 2:19:06 AM

Toyota should have a"black box"in all their vehicles that would stop them lying.
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TIGERPAW46
Champion Author Florida

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 2:16:28 AM

Right a Flight recorder in every vehicle made in America because 1/10 of 1% of the vehicles made had a problem. That's the thinking that didn't make this country great. No I don't know what the true % of manufactured vehicles in the USA is but I wouldn't be surprised if the figure I stated or less is correct.
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bobdec
Champion Author Florida

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 2:05:08 AM

NO MORE GOVERNMENT MEDALING IN OUR PRIVACY
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N5EXY
Veteran Author Austin

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 1:59:19 AM

More Big Brother guvamint reaction to use someone else's money to fix a problem that might happen. To me this sounds like an attempt to seine the ocean to catch a few sharks and is cost effective if something else picks up the bill. Aircraft black boxes are not foolproof, just as fingerprinting and polygraph initially were considered the ultimate crime fighting tools.

Like any other gummint idea this will grow well beyond its initial purpose -
into speed and other law enforcement, fuel use/abuse, etc.

For example, the 2010 census and its "simplified" ten questions. The only question intended by the founding fathers is "How many people live here?"
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rippertoo
All-Star Author Tacoma

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 1:40:34 AM

Vehicle already have a type of "black box" that records many functions of our vehicles. all they need to do is add to the capability of what is already there. My only worry is that big brother will be able to tap into it and keep track of where, when how we are driving!!
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rippertoo
All-Star Author Tacoma

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 1:40:14 AM

Vehicle already have a type of "black box" that records many functions of our vehicles. all they need to do is add to the capability of what is already there. My only wory is that big brother will be able to tap into it and keep track of where, when how we are driving!!
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Saturn93
Champion Author Salt Lake City

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 1:38:13 AM

Higher costs for new cars. Insurance investigators and anyone else the government authorizes looking over our shoulder. Add in GPS tracking and "they" know right where you are.
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grouch311
Champion Author Illinois

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 1:38:06 AM

are they going to be able to tell if I'm smoking or having sex?
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djtdi
Champion Author San Jose

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 1:29:55 AM

Having black boxes in cars with limits on who can access the data might be helpful like air planes black boxes. It definitely would drive up the cost to consumers.
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EcoVore
Champion Author Los Angeles

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 1:28:06 AM

More gadgets to keep autos higher priced& government to tax & monitor all of us to no end.
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greenfog
Champion Author Illinois

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 1:21:35 AM

in its own way it could be good, especially when researching the cause of accidents. airplanes have had them for years and it is always something they look for first in an accident.
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rugbyphil
Champion Author Las Vegas

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 1:20:05 AM

we need LESS government controls, and let the market place be the judge
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comprof
Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 1:19:26 AM

Too much computers in cars already.
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benjy
Champion Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 1:13:43 AM

Less computer opps not more...
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jadeusa
Champion Author Dallas

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 1:13:01 AM

Just another computer on board that can go wrong and create more problems.
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250FORD
Champion Author Minnesota

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 1:10:44 AM

Black boxes are already on many cars, this would not be a big thing.
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pbc2001
Champion Author Dallas

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 1:06:43 AM

Who knows what tomorrow will bring.
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CA_Jones
All-Star Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 1:03:59 AM

Sounds to me like more "Big Brother".
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J Eric
Champion Author Los Angeles

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 1:01:14 AM

Too much government. And they can't even afford to do all the tasks they now have before them.
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LoneGuy
Champion Author Lansing

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:58:31 AM

Another mandate from government for something related to a single manufacturer. That is one way to even the playing field.
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ex911
Champion Author San Jose

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:51:43 AM

gulp, now cops can pull me over and download the speed data and they will know the (rare) occasions when I exceed the speed limit (by a very small amount) and give me a ticket ;-)
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Sneakers55
Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:49:38 AM

visitor_2 wrote:

>Sure increase the price even more

My 2006 car has an EDR. The manufacturer went to a great deal of effort to explain what it does and does not do.
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Amtrgas
Champion Author Oakland

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:41:27 AM

More bad news for Toyota.
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vulcan96
Champion Author Ohio

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:41:12 AM

the truth will come out soon !
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jay4
Champion Author Colorado Springs

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:37:15 AM

Will it help track thefts too?
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furiousfowl
Champion Author Riverside

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:35:12 AM

GOTTA DO SOMETHING HERE
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10k
Champion Author North Carolina

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:24:46 AM

will this also detect texting, eating, or applying make-up while driving ??..
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TBONE3
Champion Author Pennsylvania

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:23:53 AM

Good idea - why now do it? Wanna bet who picks up the tab for the cost????

[Edited by: TBONE3 at 3/12/2010 12:24:19 AM EST]
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rxman1
Champion Author Toledo

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:23:40 AM

This will fix Toyota's problem, How? Just have the computer throw more problem codes so we can fix the problem.
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tedjm1
Champion Author New York

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:17:41 AM

Just like they do for planes.
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visitor_2
All-Star Author Orlando

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:16:36 AM

Sure increase the price even more
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must87searcher
Champion Author Maryland

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:11:11 AM

When something big and famouse goes wrong with an auto, changes come up for the law to avoid it. The only problem is that there are so many problems which come for all autos that nobody can gaurreentee everything is safe.
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Bus561
Champion Author Lexington

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:10:52 AM

I think this would be like closing the barn door after the cow has gotten out, don't you?
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Blue_Cruzer
Champion Author Lexington

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:10:45 AM

I thought some of the manufacturers are using the so black box already.
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joel27nc
Champion Author Raleigh

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:09:57 AM

I will not buy a Toyota!
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BKool
Champion Author Michigan

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:09:48 AM

1984...
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Buddy2264
Champion Author Tampa

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:09:42 AM

It may provide some new data on the problems. But my guess is they already know what the problem is and are trying to figure out a way to fix it without saying it is electrical or computer oriented. Conservation keeps your money in your pocket.
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Gary65
Champion Author Toronto

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:09:37 AM

That's all we need, good god what next.
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altonb1
Champion Author Pennsylvania

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:09:30 AM

In such a thriving economy, I wonder how much THIS is going to inc rease the cost of each vehicle?
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CobraLeader
Champion Author New Jersey

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:06:42 AM



... BIG BROTHER is watching us ...

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rippinusoff
Champion Author Lexington

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:06:02 AM

doesn't matter
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Bigwaynef
Champion Author South Carolina

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:06:00 AM

Wait till Stephen King gets ahold of this
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Joeski1
Champion Author New Jersey

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:05:32 AM

they're gonna GPS vehicles for tolls and taxes anyway...

they'll even know when you fart & attempt to tax that as well!!!
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v240
All-Star Author Pennsylvania

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:04:13 AM

So your car can tell Big Brother what you have been up to.

From a safety point of view, being able to look for electronic or software problems with this data could be a plus.

It would be necessary to make it clear that the data is owned by the owner of the vehicle - not the insurance companies, not the courts, not the car companies. Having your car provide evidence against you - in my nonlawyer opinion - violates the amendment that protects you from self-incrimination.

And this is already and issue (and has been for several years) - many cars do record this data in a "black box" - the biggest problem is that most car owners don't know it.

[Edited by: v240 at 3/12/2010 12:05:48 AM EST]
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pinkelefant
Champion Author Los Angeles

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 12:02:18 AM

Good in theory but reminds me of 1984, too.
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