Black-Box: If your car testifies against you - new control system makes it possible
Created: 06/09/2022, 17:19
By: Stella Henrich
From July 6th, vehicles must be equipped with more safety features.
This is stipulated by an EU regulation.
Among other things, the black box will be mandatory for every new car.
Munich - Yes, it's true, but one thing at a time, please.
Because, yes - it's coming - the black box for the car.
According to the provisions of the EU regulation, all newly sold motor vehicles must have numerous new safety features installed.
The draft for more safety on European roads was already adopted in 2019.
After years of preparation, the regulation will now - finally - come into force from next month.
The regulation stipulates that all newly developed cars must have numerous new assistance systems in their basic equipment.
Including the back box - a so-called accident data memory.
Similar to the black box in an airplane, cars will also be equipped with such a data memory in the future in order to be able to reconstruct the course of an accident.
Black Box: The device stores data in the event of an accident
The accident data loggers record speed, brake use and other readings from the vehicle.
It records anonymous driving data such as speed, deceleration values, position, incline and e-call data in the event of an accident.
That means: The device saves the data in the event of a crash – for example when the airbag is deployed.
It should not be about clarifying the question of guilt.
On the other hand, privacy advocates at Netzpolitik
fear
that the recordings from the accident data storage could be used in court proceedings against the vehicle driver.
A car rolls over.
How the accident happened could perhaps be helped in the future by a black box.
(Iconic image) © IMAGO/Tim Oelbermann
Motorist associations such as the ADAC also consider it likely that accident data storage will be used frequently in court in the future.
From the point of view of the association, the interest in accident investigation is higher than data protection,
Netzpolitik
quoted an ADAC spokesman as saying.
Black box in the car: the system shouldn't be a snitch
However, the black box should not be a snitch for security experts.
The EU Regulation 2019/2144 states word for word: "This data recording should allow data to be recorded and stored in such a way that the Member States can use these data to carry out road safety analyzes and evaluate the effectiveness of specific measures taken and based on those stored no identification of the user or owner of a specific vehicle is possible."
According to the regulation, the basis for the transmission of the data is that the last four digits of the vehicle identification number and information on the owner or holder may not be recorded, stored or passed on.
This also applies to vehicles that will be partially or fully automated in the future.
These assistants will now be mandatory for all new vehicles
Intelligent speed assistant (“speed brake”)
Device for installing an alcohol-sensitive immobilizer
Warning system in the event of driver fatigue and dwindling attention
Warning system when the driver's concentration drops
emergency brake light
reversing assistant
Event-related data collection ("black box")
Emergency braking assistance system
Emergency Lane Departure Warning
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Some of the features, i.e. the so-called driver assistance systems, are already standard in higher vehicles - such as the reversing assistant, the emergency brake light or the speed assistant.
Above all, they should ensure more safety among all road users.
The technical helpers must be planned for all new cars, regardless of whether they are small cars or luxury cars.
From July 2024, according to the regulation, no new cars may be registered without the additional systems.
This applies not only to cars, but also to trucks and buses, writes
Auto Bild
.
Black box: Europe's roads should become safer
Of course, the EU regulation has a serious background.
This should save up to 25,000 lives in the future.
people who lose their lives on the roads in Europe every year.
At the same time, the number of 140,000 seriously injured should also be reduced.
This is what the European Parliament writes in its report on traffic accident statistics in the EU.
The mandatory security technologies should help to get closer to this goal.
After all, about 95 percent of all traffic accidents are partly due to human error.
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