Black Boxes In Cars Spark Privacy Verses Protection Debate

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration just announced it wants to see them in all new cars by 2014.

Monday, December 10th 2012, 6:45 pm

By: Karl Torp


It's privacy versus protection in the debate over so called, "black boxes" in cars.

The devices can record the five to 10 seconds before a vehicle is involved in a crash. The data can include how fast the driver was going, when the brake was engaged or if he or she was buckled up.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration just announced it wants to see them in all new cars by 2014.

Privacy groups worry about the data being recorded.

"The technology is ahead of the law," says Brady Henderson with the ACLU.

Henderson says he's concerned because there is not a clear standard on who has access to the data from the recorders.

Many new cars already have the devices installed. One metro dealership says the recorders are installed in almost all of their new vehicles.

Automakers who voluntarily put recorders in vehicles are now required to gather a minimum of 15 types of data.

Karl Torp

Karl Torp is an award-winning journalist who’s been part of the News 9 team since 2012. He co-anchors the 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts on weekdays. Karl loves telling Oklahoma’s unique stories, and he’s also a huge sports junkie. He loves to think of trades that would help the Oklahoma City Thunder win a World Championship (despite knowing little to nothing about salary caps and luxury taxes).

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