Car Tech forum: Poll: Do you like the idea of having a black box in your car and why?

I would b e happy to consider installing a 'black box' on my car in exchange for no premium increase if I get in an accident that is determined to be NOT MY FAULT. As it is now, I would b e penalized for any accident, even if my car is sitting parked with me not in it!

There is no way to SAFELY drive 30mph over the speed limit unless the highway is empty. Three times so far this year I have seen the results of this sort of thinking on I-580 in Northern California -- an accident caused by someone speeding excessively, causing major property damage, bodily injury, and traffic backed up for miles as a result. The guilty drivers are all sorry afterward.

Without legislation to restrict who can use the information, and for what purposes, it's just more of Big Brother's spying. Even then, many of us know better than to trust our government. There will always be abuses of power in the United States of Amerika (I used the "k" for a reason).

What next, cameras to see if you put the seat up, or wash your hands afterward. Please give me a break.

This will only continue to give insurance companies millions, if not billions, in excess, of capital on reserve. It would be a tool to serve them as other commentaries have concluded - to not pay claims. Think about it. You have to insure your health, vision, teeth (now commonly billed separately), your home, your life, and your car. How many thousands of dollars are you paying each year? Have you ever totaled it up? And remember folks - home, life, car, & additional assets are not using tax-free dollars. A car plowed into my rear durng a rainstop while everyone was stopped, including him. ****** was on his cell phone. Ten year old child in the car talking to me and next thing you know, this ****** rams my rear. He admitted to police what happened. When the insurance companies got involved, he denied it. My car was totaled and he was proven to be 100% at fault. The claims rep I dealt with was "busy" so if I wanted to expedite things, I could take matters into my own hands to get what was due back to me more quickly. So I performed the jobs of a claims rep who clearly didn't want to do hers. Hail to AIG's failure and the biggest bailout in history. Hail to these SOB's running these companies into the ground while making sure they are paid excessively. Give them another tool to try to disallow a valid claim based on a "black box." Hell, not hail, NO. I will dismantle the thing myself.

A. If you don't have anything to hide does it matter if anyone knows..especially if it affects my safety.

B. MY insurance rates would probably go down...since my current rate is based on averages in a large
metropolitan county with lots of illegal drivers. If the insurance companies could see how slow I drive
and how many miles I actually put on my car I'm pretty sure I'd catch a break on my rates.

C. Black boxes would surely settle many accident claims which are currently based on the "claims"
of how fast or what direction the parties were traveling...goodbye no-fault insurance. It's time for liars
to take responsibility for their choices.

D. If privacy is your number one priority...Move to the country! I hear you can get so-so satellite inter-
net for a pretty stiff fee.

A drivers license is a privilege and not a right. Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) was created in the United States by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to provide an overall measure of highway safety, to help suggest solutions, and to help provide an objective basis to evaluate the effectiveness of motor vehicle safety standards and highway safety programs.[1]. In operation since 1975, it has collected information on over 989,451 motor vehicle fatalities; that should be enough of fatality number (and increasing) to require better means of determining cause not to mention a possibility of reducing automobile insurance rates with data collection.

I agree with the need in planes (commercial & private) because of the extent of destruction when there is an accident. However, with autos the car(s) are seldom in a similar state. There would also be a significant cost increase, both for design of the box and redesign of the cars. There are millions of cars already on the road and the trend is toward used rather than new purchases. It is a complete waste of time and money.

The automotive black box is not evil.
The next logical step is.
Once mandated in each car, the next step is real time reporting.
Taken to its logical next step, when you are detected speeding, your traffic ticket would be waiting for you in the mail.Your position could be tracked without any legal recourse.
The possibilities are endless.
Years ago this was the stuff of science fiction.
Today it is accepted without outrage by our willing public.
1984 here we come.

Think about...another one of our freedoms....gone! Yes, it would help in accidents. But, you give an inch and the government takes a mile! They make everything sound like it is for our benefit. That old TV program (don't remember the name) "Big Brother IS Watching!"

What a load of PARANOID crap. Big Brother bogeyman, bad police will alter the data, bad insurers, lawyers will misuse them?,I am safe in my Merc and stuff everyone else, so I am only 6 miles fast, seat belts and airbags are bad - but I still want injury insurance paid by others, this is a speed enforcement measure - the cops are going to pull innocent me over and check the box, its a GPS, !!!, THE BB RECORDS THE TRUTH OF CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT JUST AS AN AIRCRAFT BB DOES BUT NOT IN SUCH DETAIL. The readout ensures that the insurance will pay if all is well. It is NOT a system for teaching better driving - it is a measure for establishing conditions at the time

You are misinformed. Check any dictionary. You pay for a drivers license, it is not free. That gives you the RIGHT to drive. Government and politicians etc. want people to believe they are bestowing "privileges" on THEIR people. Wake up and smell the coffee.

Privileges can be taken away at WILL, but not a drivers license. Reread the link you sent. If indeed it were a privilege then the DMV could take away, not renew a persons drivers license for NO REASON. It cannot do that unless the person commits violations that require such action.

No one is referring to drivers who drive 30 mph and other crazies like those who text, put on makeup, eat, drink and whatever other things they do. Their licenses should be at the very least suspended for 1 year and some should be taken away. When I pay for my license [and that goes for any type of license, business etc.] I now have to RIGHT to exercise the use of that license in a lawful and orderly manner. Are you blind to the many liberties [RIGHTS] that are slowly being taken away?

Just think about the differences between rights and privileges.... Rights are something you have, you don't have to do anything to get them, but you may have do defend your rights at some point. Privileges, are something you have to do something to earn, such as pass the written and driving tests. Privileges can be taken away based on your performance, acts or criminal conduct.

The ability to get a license is a privilege, that can be taken away, not a right that you have without doing anything.