MAP-21 and Event Data Recorders

Posted on April 30, 2012 
Filed Under IN THE NEWS, POLITICS

Another mandate in the 1,600 page long regulatory nightmare highway bill named MAP-21 is that which will require all vehicles manufactured in 2015 and after to have Event Data Recorders (EDRs), or “black boxes”. This is a bad thing. Here is a link to an article written by Eric Peters on The American Spectator , where he describes exactly how and why this is a very bad thing. Mr. Peters makes the case against the black boxes very well, probably better than I can.

To summarize, the EDRs will be linked to mandatory GPS units. The police or government will be able to see in real-time how fast you are going, whether you are wearing your seatbelt, even if you have both hands on the wheel. If you violate the rules, boom, traffic citation. Also, an instantaneous increase in your insurance premiums.

The black box will be mandatory. Older vehicles will be required to be retrofitted with the black boxes. They will be required to be functional, and they will be required to be connected to GPS, so your data may be gathered. All in the name of safety, of course.

It happens I agree with Mr. Peters, 100%. You have to ask yourself, why does the government want all vehicles to have these EDRs? Why is it necessary to gather all this data? Well for one reason, because the government can. The technology has advanced to the point where it is not only possible to get this data, it is also relatively easy. So, hey, why not gather as much data as possible? In this way, they can write the most effective rules possible, and design even more effective accident prevention programs. I’m sure there are many people at NHTSA who think this way.

In reality, it will be used exactly as Mr. Peters is predicting. The data will be used to control and tax American drivers, all in the name of safety. The EDRs have nothing to do with safety. If it was about gathering data in the name of designing stronger, safer vehicles, a mandate would not be necessary. There is plenty of EDR data presently available for analysis, as EDRs have been in vehicles on a voluntary basis for years. No, the mandatory EDRs are about control, and our elected officials are eager to approve them.

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