“Black-Box” Data Standards Set for September

Starting next month, new vehicles sold in the U.S. that are equipped with crash data recorders must meet new standards regarding their crashworthiness and the type and accuracy of data they capture.

But not all new vehicles carry the so-called black boxes. Earlier this year a bill to mandate the technology failed in Congress. The National Highway Safety Administration favors such a law.

Proponents say standardizing the type and quality of data collected and mandating black boxes for all passenger vehicles would lead to safer cars. Opponents claim the recorders, whose data typically belong to the vehicle's owner, intrude on the driver's privacy.

NHTSA estimates more than 90% of new vehicles sold in America already are equipped with such devices. The recorders continuously monitor such factors as vehicle speed, steering and brake input, throttle position and whether occupants are wearing seatbelts.

If a crash occurs, the units also record the severity and direction of impact and whether airbags deploy, "freezing" the data for the several seconds before and during the crash. The captured information can then be downloaded and used in court to determine or refute claims that an equipment malfunction contributed to the crash.