Mar
1
Little Black Box In Your Car Affects Discount Auto Insurance Premiums
Filed Under Autos, Trucks and More
A black box, also known as the Event Data Recorder (EDR) for short, records all of the data during the flight of an aircraft, such as voice and sound transmissions, altitude, and air speed. Typically, black boxes are anything but black. They are usually a bright color, which makes them easier to locate in the plane debris following a crash.
Almost everyone knows that airplanes have a black box. What you may not know, however, is that your car might also have one. This box, which is about the size of a deck of playing cards, is installed in about 70 percent of all new automobiles. It is unnoticeable and usually is positioned under your seat or dashboard, and it is automatically turned on when your car’s airbags are set off.
The event data recorders, only record information in theseconds leading up to and after it realizes your airbags are about to go off. The following information is recorded by the EDR:
* Engine speed
* Automobile speed
* Throttle Position
* Brake Status
* If the passenger’s airbag is off or on
* If the driver’s seat belt is off or on
* If the IR Warning Lamp is on or off
* Time from Insurance carriers use this information to help assess crash information and configure automobile insurance rates. Police officers also use the information gathered by the box to reconstruct what happened leading up to the crash.
General Motors has installed black boxes in their automobiles since 1999, and several other automobile manufacturers have been installing them since 1996. Crash investigators, companies, law enforcement and government researchers say such information is critical to learning how to build safer cars. Privacy advocates say EDRs are a way to obtain information that can be used to incriminate people who have been in accidents.
Starting in 2011, auto manufactures will be required to tell consumers if their new automobile includes an event data recorder, or “black box”. Car makers haven’t been forthcoming about information on the devices, so this is good news.
There are other instruments available to install on your car to help you receive Discount Auto Insurance. Progressive Insurance and IVOX Corporation have made devises that monitor your driving habits at all times. So if you install one of these monitors, make sure when getting Free Insurance Quotes to inform your agent so he can add on the additional discount for you.
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