KTVU: "Event data recorders installed in cars stirring controversy"

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seanhaight
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KTVU: "Event data recorders installed in cars stirring controversy"

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http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law ... ntr/nPrZD/
KTVU.com

SAN FRANCISCO — Much like every airliner has a black box designed to record what the plane's systems are doing before and during a crash, more and more automobiles have similar devices installed that are at the root of some controversy.

Last year, car crashes killed 33,000 Americans and seriously injured 2.3 million more.

Over the years, information gleaned from car crashes has been used to reduce death and injuries: from safety glass to collapsible steering wheels and seatbelts to airbags.
There is all kinds of physical evidence to suggest what happened in an accident and what did or did not deploy, but there's also something quite different.

Today, though not required by law, most cars with an airbag have an EDR or event data recorder. It allows investigators to download what some of the car's systems were doing shortly before a crash.

"So, five seconds before the crash, it was going from basically 39, 38, 37, so the impact speed was approximately 37 miles per hour," explained Officer John Flynn of the Fremont Police Department.

It records the car's speed, if and when the brakes were applied, if seatbelts were buckled and other valuable information.
Exactly what's recorded varies from automaker to automaker, but an EDR can provide a bonanza of information attorneys can fight over in determining fault.

CONTINUED...
http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law ... ntr/nPrZD/
Sean Haight, PhD

CrashForum.info
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Engineer, ACTAR #2769
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