The well-known ‘black box’ of airplanes now reaches cars. Since last July 6, new vehicles that are going to be homologated in Europe have to include an event data recorder, also known by its acronym in English EDR (Event Data Recorder) or more commonly as a black box. This has been established by the European Commission along with another list of driving assistance systems or ADAS that also become mandatory (in this link you have the 10 mandatory ADAS). What is the black box of cars? What data does it record?
Before getting down to business, we clarify that cars that have been registered as of July 6, if they have already been previously homologated, are not required to include this black box (they will be as of July 6, 2024) and, therefore, Of course, it also does not affect cars that are already on the road.
How does the black box of cars work?
The European Regulation on ADAS refers to this EDR as ‘event data recorder’ and defines it as a system designed exclusively to record and store critical parameters and information related to a collision, shortly before, during and immediately after. is. A case of possible recording would be when the deployment of an airbag is activated.
It will not record audio or images, only data for about 30 seconds before the incident and 5 after. The objective is to know the speed, behavior of the vehicle, which security systems were activated or deactivated, the location of the vehicle, steering movements and data on acceleration and deceleration. To get these data you just have to connect the black box to a computer.
The black box can be located under the driver’s seat, bolted to the chassis and can be connected to the airbag or ABS/ESP control unit.
Black box features
The European Regulation (you can consult it here) establishes a series of requirements on how the data event recorders or the black boxes of the cars have to be:
• Data that will be recorded: includes vehicle speed, braking, position and inclination of the vehicle on the road, status and activation speed of all its security systems, eCall system based on the number 112 integrated in the vehicles , the activation of the brakes and any other pertinent input parameter related to the on-board active safety and accident prevention systems.
• It cannot be deactivated.
About data recording and storage
The recording works in a closed loop system in which the stored data is rewritten and does not allow the vehicle or the owner of the data to be identified. It will always be data recorded shortly before, during and immediately after a collision (the duration of the recording is not specified). In addition, the black box must meet the following requirements:
• The data collected will be anonymous and protected against manipulation and improper use.
• They will make it possible to identify the type, variant and version of the vehicle and, in particular, the active safety and accident prevention systems installed.
• The recorded data may be made available to national authorities solely for accident investigation and analysis. They will not be used by insurers or to fine.
• You will not be able to record and store the last four digits of the vehicle identification or any other information that may allow the identification of the specific vehicle in question, its owner or its possessor.
This event data recorder (EDR) represents a great advance in obtaining more precise and exhaustive data on road accidents and thus facilitating the investigation and, therefore, the reduction of accidents. These registrars will allow Member States to use the data to carry out road safety analyzes and assess the effectiveness of specific measures that have been taken, without the possibility of identifying the owner or keeper of a specific vehicle.
According to the regulations on ADAS, the technological progress of these systems must be taken into account in each evaluation of the current legislation so that it can be applied in the future, while strictly adhering to the principles of respect for the privacy and data protection. It must also be ensured that these systems can be used safely throughout the life cycle of the vehicle.
It also warns of the vulnerability of vehicle connectivity and automation, as they increase the possibility of unauthorized remote access to vehicle data and illegal modification of software wirelessly. “In order to take these risks into account, United Nations regulations or other regulatory acts on cybersecurity must be applied as soon as possible after their entry into force,” says the Regulation. In this link we tell you about the new European regulations on cybersecurity in vehicles.
