Advocacy

Automakers Voluntarily Installing Black Boxes, So No Need for NHTSA Mandate

By Washington, D.C., Staff

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has withdrawn a proposed rule to require event data recorders (EDR) in all new cars and trucks since they are already being voluntarily installed by automakers in nearly all light-duty vehicles.

NHTSA had proposed the rule in 2012 when many vehicles did not have so-called black boxes. NHTSA already has a standard for performance requirements for EDRs, 49 CFR Part 563. Data collected can identify pre-crash vehicle speed and whether brakes were applied and air bags deployed. 

A 2015 law requires NHTSA to consider updating the pre-crash data being collected. 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.