Black Boxes: Event Data Recorder Rulemaking for Automobiles
Thomas M. Kowalick · 2006
This book focuses on the rulemaking process used by the United States Department of Transportation / National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (USDOT/NHTSA) in developing guidelines for on-board automobile event data recorders (EDR). The book is designed for motorists, attorneys, public safety advocates, public policy administrators, engineers, automotive professionals, journalists, and insurance executives. The book reviews the technology of the EDR and examines the legal and privacy issues that use of the EDR engenders, in an effort to debunk myths, mystery, and misinformation. The author describes the advantages of EDR which include providing a useful complement to subjective information from victims, eye witnesses, and police reports; improving vehicle and road design; reducing fraudulent auto insurance claims; and assisting medical personnel with on-scene triage of victims. The book includes a bibliography, glossary of relevant terms, a list of vehicles that have automatic recording capabilities, a chronological summary of key events, and a glossary of acronyms and abbreviations.