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[url="http://www.ajc.com/news/content/business/0804/03blackbox.html"]http://www.ajc.com/news/content/business/0...03blackbox.html[/url]

[b]NTSB recommends 'black boxes' for passenger vehicles[/b]

By LESLIE MILLER
Associated Press Writer
Published on: 08/03/04


WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday recommended for the first time that the federal government require passenger vehicles to be equipped with black boxes that record speed, seat belt use, braking and other factors.

The safety board's recommendation arose from its investigation into the July 16, 2003, farmers market crash in Santa Monica, Calif. Safety investigators were unable to interview the elderly driver who stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brake, plowing into the open-air market, killing 10 and injuring 63.

The board concluded that investigators could have gained a better scientific understanding of the driver's behavior had his 1992 Buick LeSabre been outfitted with an event data recorder.

"We believe very strongly that vehicles should have a black box," said NTSB chairman Ellen Engleman Conners.

In June, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said automakers are adding black boxes fast enough on their own. About 15 percent of vehicles now on the road have the data recorders, and NHTSA says between 65 percent and 90 percent of 2004 vehicles have some sort of recording ability.

NHTSA at the same time proposed that recorders collect a standard set of data to help crash investigators. By Sept. 2008, the agency wants recorders to collect up to 42 data elements, including the time it takes for air bags to deploy.

The safety board on Tuesday said that doesn't go far enough.

Based on its investigation of the Santa Monica crash, the NTSB concluded that "standards governing voluntary, rather than mandatory, installation of event data recorders in light-duty vehicles will not result in obtaining the maximum highway safety benefits from this technology."

Engleman Conners said the safety board doesn't have the ability to investigate each of the 43,000 traffic accident deaths that happen every year. Black boxes would give investigators the ability to collect facts, science and data on every fatal accident, she said.

"The basic question I have is 'Why not?'" Engleman Conners said.

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To be honest, from the hip here, I'm not sure if I want someone installing a black box in my car.

Next thing you know I'll have to have one in my home.

There is a certain amount of security I am willing to tolerate, but this seems too much like government control to me. I may be naive here, but usually when we talk about things like, say, tracking devices and such, I have usually made glib comments like, "Well, if your a good person, you have nothing to worry about." or "Boy, that would come in handy if you were stuck on the side of a mountain cause your car crashed or something." I wont be making those comments again.

We have "Onstar" on vehicles, which is an option. That I can deal with. If its in your vehicle and you dont want it, just dont pay for the service.
But this seems to be slightly pushing the envelope. This is something that is out of our control. I would agree if it was strictly for recording information, but I dare say I doubt seriously that that is the end use of this product. Plus the fact that if data is recorded incorrectly, there may be future problems.

Well, I may be jumpin' the gun here, but I'm not crazy about the idea. I could go on, but I neither have the time or energy to sound off completely about this subject.

Im pooped.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Peace.

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and then who will watch the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers of the black boxes!!!? :wacko:

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uh oh, i just had another insight...

who will watch the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers of the black boxes! :o!

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[quote name='Aloysius' date='Aug 4 2004, 05:42 PM'] uh oh, i just had another insight...

who will watch the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers who are watching the watchers of the black boxes! :o! [/quote]
God?

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Kilroy the Ninja

Looks like we're never getting rid of our '64 Falcon, '77 Dodge truck or the '81 Camaro......

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