EDR=Electronic Data Recorder

I was reading this article

http://65.54.246.250/cgi-bin/linkrd?_lang=EN&lah=da6f239162b5f0f7352385c5f56dbda2&lat=1092150114&hm___action=http%3a%2f%2fthecarconnection%2ecom%2findex%2easp%3farticle%3d7386

and was wondering if the tC had these.....

Well I kept reading and they do, not the xA or xB, but the tC does.

These are the automotive counterpart to the airline industries black box. It can detect impact speed, decelleration, airbag info, braking info, seat belt info, etc.

So don't be lying about any accidents, you could get into trouble.

This might help the person though who recently totaled his tC, good luck.

And these are in the majority of new vehicles now and have been in GM vehicles for a while.

Just thought some of you might be interested....

i dont like that idea it takes away from privacy

That depends, does it have a voice data recorder like on airplane?
We could find out what people say right before the crash, like: "Hold my beer and watch this" :lol:

not that I'm a conspiracy theorist or anything, but it seems like the NSA / CIA / FBI are pretty much going to be able to figure out everything about you if they want to.... good ol' patriot act...

I guess I'll have to drive a little bit slower, 'cause if I wreck at 100 mph, I won't have very much plausible deniability.

Any other grandmothers we need to know about? One gizmo that pleasantly surprised me was the tire pressure sensor, pretty trick for 16k (once again)

Only the auto manufacturers can decode what's in the boxes. If you get into an accident and, for instance, kill somebody, the court could subpoena the contents of the data recorder which would be turned over by Toyota. Under normal circumstances the boxes are only used internally by Toyota to see how the systems react in real-world accidents.

Great! .... Validity!!!.. Sorry. I am the guy who had the accident. This should concrete my case if it tells all that. Thank you Scion.

By this time next year all vehicles manufactured or sold in North America have to comply with ALL OBD2 standards. Or that manufacture is banned from vehicle sales in NA. Porsche is the only automotive maker NOT compiling.

Is there any way to disable these? That's not something I want on while I'm driving around.

If you were able to somehow disable it, you're going to have a problem claiming warranty service on the car. They will usually check to make sure the car wasn't negligently abused right before the malfunction. For example, if you go to your dealer and tell him that you are having engine problems and they discover bent valves, they'll want to know if you redlined it or downshifted to 3rd gear going 75mph. Imagine what they'd tell you if they find that there was no recorded data available.

Not to self, wrap ECU in thermite, torch in event of accident.

The xB has it. Not sure about the xA.

I'd gladly give up my warranty protection to not have that kind of thing in the car.

Imagine that you're going 120 mph past an elementary school and run over a bunch of 8 year olds. Do you really want a record of that that a court could subpeona?

The Black Box may actually be wired directly to the ECU. If the the box is removed, then your vehicle may not turn on. The black box should only be inspected by your auto insurer or the Cops. The dealer should not touch it. If the dealer tells you something, ask them for proof and where they got it from. Then hire a lawyer.

is it just me or does that link not work? that sounds really interesting.

i dont like that idea it takes away from privacy

Its not like they are looking at you through a peep hole. DMV and SS has a lot of your information so there is no privacy anyways.

I can find the information valueable especially in an auto collision.

If you were able to somehow disable it, you're going to have a problem claiming warranty service on the car. They will usually check to make sure the car wasn't negligently abused right before the malfunction. For example, if you go to your dealer and tell him that you are having engine problems and they discover bent valves, they'll want to know if you redlined it or downshifted to 3rd gear going 75mph. Imagine what they'd tell you if they find that there was no recorded data available.
The black box only records a running 8 seconds which ends if there's an accident(new boxes will add an additional 6 seconds after the accident.) Usually the "accident" is signified by the airbag deploying, but new boxes could use other data (g-forces or other data from the car sensors.)

These things aren't like racing data loggers, where they would record everything a vehicle does for an entire race or longer.

I'd gladly give up my warranty protection to not have that kind of thing in the car.

Imagine that you're going 120 mph past an elementary school and run over a bunch of 8 year olds. Do you really want a record of that that a court could subpeona?
Yes, I really do, because if you did that you deserve to be convicted (and hopefully hanged.)

Here is a news story about a black box helping to convict a man who killed a pedestrian. (http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/10/24/blackbox031024)

Here is a news story where a black box helped to convict a rapist. (http://cbs2.com/specialassign/local_story_141202139.html)

Here's a working link to the CarConnection article. (http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=7386&sid=173)

They mention this little badboy in the first few pages of the tC owners manual. It records pretty much everything except voice.

I'd gladly give up my warranty protection to not have that kind of thing in the car.

Imagine that you're going 120 mph past an elementary school and run over a bunch of 8 year olds. Do you really want a record of that that a court could subpeona?

So what if someone was driving 120 mph and killed your parents, sibling, girlfriend, or friends and lied in court saying he was only going speed limit? Do you want justice?

realistically, if you are going around 100 and hit something, whatever it is someone will know how fast you were going or have a pretty good guess, which would be used in court as evidence if coming from an expert (cop, forensicist (spelling?)) etc... all the black box is is hard evidence as opposed to expert opinion. same thing if you get convicted, which you should if you are driving like a jackass and kill someone.

Yea I would also be interested in removing this...

I know people have their reasons... but ugh...

Leave it alone. It's for internal company research and rarely evidence. If you are lying in court, you are an _______ and deserve to be locked up forever. In that sense, it could only be a good thing. The recording side of things... Sure privacy, blah blah... but I, as a citizen with bearly any connections whatsoever, could find out anything about you I could possible want to know within a week for the right price. Do you really think that the government doesnt already know a heck of a lot more about us than our cars do?

LOL hell I say go ahead and disble the damn box cuase God I hope your paying for that car and you spent good money on the warrenty cuase when you decide to push your car or do this or do that and you take it to a shop and they say ya that gonna cost ya 2k to fix your gonna really want the box to have been on cause if you take it to toyota and they check the box and see what you did I imagine you will get this reponse after you ask them to fix it..... :loser: :rofl: :ttth:

LOL hell I say go ahead and disble the damn box cuase God I hope your paying for that car and you spent good money on the warrenty cuase when you decide to push your car or do this or do that and you take it to a shop and they say ya that gonna cost ya 2k to fix your gonna really want the box to have been on cause if you take it to toyota and they check the box and see what you did I imagine you will get this reponse after you ask them to fix it..... :loser: :rofl: :ttth:

hey i heard theres this new thing out...its called SENTENCES...use these-> ..............

wow everyone is getting pretty high strung about the stupid box. love it or hate it, its there or it isn't. bickering about it wont help you any. and whoever said that thing about hitting the kids doing 120, I thought it was funny.

I know people have their reasons... but ugh...

Leave it alone. It's for internal company research and rarely evidence. If you are lying in court, you are an _______ and deserve to be locked up forever. In that sense, it could only be a good thing. The recording side of things... Sure privacy, blah blah... but I, as a citizen with bearly any connections whatsoever, could find out anything about you I could possible want to know within a week for the right price. Do you really think that the government doesnt already know a heck of a lot more about us than our cars do?

LOL, are you serious about this?
I am sure you never lie do you?No one holier-than-thou I am sure. Hell you don't even know the difference between "baerly" and barely. What kind of bear connections do you have? Must be one with our maker of some sort.
Jackhole
:clap: :pray:

Do you really think you could find out any info for the right price? Can you afford the right price? Good thing you aren't running things.
:nails: :bow:

Not to self, wrap ECU in thermite, torch in event of accident.

:lol: Yessssss.

Yes, there's a black box in all tCs.

No, it's really not a good idea to remove it.

Yes, it sucks that it's there.

Just try not to do 120 near any Preschools or run over any 8-year-olds, and you should be fine.

That about sums up the thread, right? :lol:

Now, what I would be interested in, is a monitoring unit so that we, ourselves, could see what the black box is recording.

I'd gladly give up my warranty protection to not have that kind of thing in the car.

Imagine that you're going 120 mph past an elementary school and run over a bunch of 8 year olds. Do you really want a record of that that a court could subpeona?

wtf! yes you shouldn't be going that fast hitting kids.. hahaha

This box only validates the calculations anyone well versed in physics can do. If you were in an accident chances are there is some damage and/or evidence (ie skid marks swapped paint, etc...) Based on that any mathematician or physics student could figure out how fast you were going, at what angle you contacted the other object, etc....

All this box does is verify these calculations. If your in an accident all these things will be calculated regardless of the box or not. It's not an invasion of privacy.

that is true to a point...however all those calculations are based on models that make things simpler.....and therefore give up some accuracy.

They can only estimate how fast somebody was going prior to the accident, the box will give you an actual speed. That's one example.....not that anybody should speed, I certainly don't.

I know people have their reasons... but ugh...

Leave it alone. It's for internal company research and rarely evidence. If you are lying in court, you are an _______ and deserve to be locked up forever. In that sense, it could only be a good thing. The recording side of things... Sure privacy, blah blah... but I, as a citizen with bearly any connections whatsoever, could find out anything about you I could possible want to know within a week for the right price. Do you really think that the government doesnt already know a heck of a lot more about us than our cars do?

LOL, are you serious about this?
I am sure you never lie do you?No one holier-than-thou I am sure. Hell you don't even know the difference between "baerly" and barely. What kind of bear connections do you have? Must be one with our maker of some sort.
Jackhole
:clap: :pray:

Do you really think you could find out any info for the right price? Can you afford the right price? Good thing you aren't running things.
:nails: :bow:

Apparently, you don't know the difference between Bearly, Barely, and Baerly. If you are going to criticize how someone screws up their spelling, then make sure you spell the word right.

As you say, "JackHole"

So then since there is a little black box can they use that to see if there is something wrong with the car? Like take it out and decode it or something? Like it records errors and stuffy?

I don't see it as an invasion of privacy. Unless your doing 120 in your living room, you are most likely driving in a public place. Whether someone records you speeding with their video camera or your car does with a computer, who cares? There's nothing private about it. Just drive defensively and the box will only benefit you in the event of an accident. :D

@ TCAV8R
Ill ignore the poorly constructed flame, but really now... lying in court. That's a no-no.

If you have no respect for our laws, you are a menace to society and everyone in this country should have a problem with that. Speeding... eh, I almost understand that. Perjury? Hell no.

Not only is that a terrible showing of a persons integrity and character, it is simply unexcusable in today's ethics (Yeah... oxymoron... :( .)

@ TCAV8R
Ill ignore the poorly constructed flame, but really now... lying in court. That's a no-no.

If you have no respect for our laws, you are a menace to society and everyone in this country should have a problem with that. Speeding... eh, I almost understand that. Perjury? Hell no.

Not only is that a terrible showing of a persons integrity and character, it is simply unexcusable in today's ethics (Yeah... oxymoron... :( .)

I don't see an oxymoron.

i dont like that idea it takes away from privacy

:eyebrow:

i hope you were just kidding because thats one of the dumbest things i've ever heard and this site has alot of idiotic replies

LOL hell I say go ahead and disble the damn box cuase God I hope your paying for that car and you spent good money on the warrenty cuase when you decide to push your car or do this or do that and you take it to a shop and they say ya that gonna cost ya 2k to fix your gonna really want the box to have been on cause if you take it to toyota and they check the box and see what you did I imagine you will get this reponse after you ask them to fix it..... :loser: :rofl: :ttth:

hey i heard theres this new thing out...its called SENTENCES...use these-> ..............

He used them! I saw them there. Didn't you? Right there...at the end?

Just kidding. I think this is a good idea. I know some don't because they feel as though their privacy compromised, and I can empathize, but in all practicality if something does go horribly wrong with your car (accident or whatnot), I should think that you'd want this so you have something more than just your word.

-s

I can care less that it's in the car. I would rather have it so i can see who's to blame for an accident ya know? I mean it's not invading privacy unless there is a camera in there recording when you fart or pick your nose and then they put it on the internet or something :rofl: i mean COME ON PEEPS!

@ TCAV8R
Ill ignore the poorly constructed flame, but really now... lying in court. That's a no-no.

If you have no respect for our laws, you are a menace to society and everyone in this country should have a problem with that. Speeding... eh, I almost understand that. Perjury? Hell no.

Not only is that a terrible showing of a persons integrity and character, it is simply unexcusable in today's ethics (Yeah... oxymoron... :( .)

I don't see an oxymoron.

Today's ethics.

It's a stretch. And really, considering the actual definition of "ethics" it isn't really possible to stretch it that far- but... you know what I meant.

Happy V-day guys!

I guess the other side of the coin is.....

what if someone was driving real fast or like an idiot and they hit you......and the driver and 3 passengers all make the claim that it was your fault....3 against 1...oh wait, 3 against 1(+ a black box). The black box would catch those mean lyers. HA, bastards.

i dont like that idea it takes away from privacy

Are you talking about privacy or your right to do something illegal in your car?

for example excessive speeding?

Im sure the FBI has BETTER things to do... man, Ive been in the states all my life, and Ive never seen a bunch that bickers MORE about driving than anywhere else. In Europe, you can lead cops on a hardcore chase, damage property here and there, and evade everyONE! and as long as you dont hurt anyone, you wont get more than a month in prison... Here its 10 years! WTF!

So 2 questions:

1) Is TRD coming out with a tuned black box?
2) When is Sparks going to be selling it?

I am just jooooooooking!

That's all in fun humor, had to laugh, the sick bastard from New York should be the one run over, not the kids, glad he's on the east coast. That depends, does it have a voice data recorder like on airplane?
We could find out what people say right before the crash, like: "Hold my beer and watch this" :lol: