[Phil №❶]

Did you know that while you are driving, your speed and a lot of other info such as g forces, braking application force and length etc, is being stored in the car's airbag deployment system computer. Authorities download and have prosecuted using this information as evidence. What do we think about this as I suspect it will catch on in other countries and especially here in Oz (little America).

I guess if you're not doing anything wrong then there's no harm, but it's the invasion of privacy that annoys me. 

[neptune]

I also got told that in the car's diagnostic computer, it can stall highest speed, etc, so if there is a fault concerning say a speed issue ,...they can go in and see what the highest speed reading was etc. This was once used in a fatal crash where the cops were unsure of the speed of the vechile before impact. They got the company to retrieve the information and was able to use it in court

[AlanHo]

There is more detail here if you feel like wading through it......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Event_data_recorder

[eye30]

One of the big car insurance companies is using this under the pretext to help young drivers get affordable car insurance.

Part of the incentive for lower premiums is not to use the car between certain hours like after 11 pm and before 6 am.

Here is are a few links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage-based_insurance

http://drivesteady.com/car-monitors-are-you-willing-to-give-up-privacy-for-lower-premiums

http://www.insurethebox.com/gps-car-insurance-with-insurethebox-could-save-you-money

[2i30s]

years ago i worked in an automotive engineering shop that specialised in car suspension components. the cars often needed to be taken to a dealership to have air bag and abs lights reset,this was done by driving the car there and back. one of our mechanics returned from a dealership after an air bag light reset and mentioned the customers car had a nasty engine rattle,so the car was dropped off at the dealership for a diagnostic check. it was found after an ecu down load that the mechanic that drove too an from the dealership had thrashed the car causing it to rattle. his speeds,rpm and even time of day were retrieved from the cars ecu. so if you drive it like you stole it,the ecu will tell the story. 

[Phil №❶]

How stupid would you feel getting caught out like that. 

[eye30]

On Thursday I had my loan car changed to a Vauxhall Corsa.

Just flicking thro' the handbook there is a piece about the ECU collecting information on driving style etc.
Only with the owners/drivers consent will the information be downloaded and be released to a third party such as the Police to help in investigating RTA etc.

So I wonder if our i30's ECU collects info. 
Anyone able to confirm or otherwise?

[Phil №❶]

Over here, the government just legislate to obtain whatever information they want, in the interests of public safety of course, don't count on having a choice for much longer. 

[Lakes]

makes you laugh, or feel sad that our for fathers wet to war to fight to keep our country free. i think there is more freedom in China on the roads.
how would they know who was driving it? you possibly could even have had it on a Dyno doing testing and wheels turning at high speed with car static.

[jupitersj]

Usually the memory is so tiny that in a car a black box only record and stores that information during a serious crash; I believe even the US Elantra Touring manual mentions it but I don't have time atm to rifle through it 

[Lakes]

Remember Australia is a free country?
cheers

[Phil №❶]

Lakes


I think you've got the wrong flag on your profile. 

[FatBoy]

Seriously, I'd rather be on Australian roads, than Chinese.  I have been there, and APPARENTLY there are road rules, but nobody seems to use them. 

[Phil №❶]

I've seen what they do with pushbikes, imagine letting them loose with a car. They still use the same logic when driving. 

[syecadelic]

I remember a recent case in work (Hyundai Dealership) where a technician was asked to re-wire the cut loom of an ECU from a Santa Fe (Fire fighters cut through it rescuing the casualties)

Reason being was to see what information could be given

I still wish I had pushed for the 3rd party , who crashed into me , to have their ECU checked for the last speed recorded

[Phil №❶]

I wonder what the various laws in different countries are regarding this info. In the case of accident investigation  it would be used but I wonder whether an individual, or insurer can request an ECU read. 

[syecadelic]

most individuals/insurers wouldn;'t have a clue when looking at the ECU programme, hence why a mapped ECU can rarely be an issue during a collision, because even a technician cant tel if it has been mapped, unless they have two side by side, original, and mapped, to analyse the figures etc.