Episode 171 - Tiger Woods Accident, Event Data Recorder, and Secure Transportation

In this week’s episode, we are talking about the Tiger Woods accident, Event Data Recorder (EDR), and Secure Transportation. 

The February 23 Tiger Woods accident has created questions concerning the Event Data Recorder (EDR) and ownership of the data collected by the EDR. 

The question of who owns the EDR arose when the L.A. County Sheriff got a search warrant to seize the automotive black box in Tiger Woods’ vehicle. The warrant was issued because a judge believed that there was probable cause to believe a crime may have been committed. Law enforcement sources said that the possible offense is misdemeanor reckless driving. To better understand how this affects Secure Transportation, we need to define the function of the EDR or Black Box. 

What is the Black Box – EDR 

Since the term "EDR" can be used to cover many different types of devices, we believe it is important to define the term for the purposes of this podcast. When we use the term EDR, we refer to a device installed in a vehicle to record technical vehicle and occupant information for a brief period of time (seconds, not minutes) before, during, and after a crash. For instance, EDRs may record (1) pre-crash vehicle dynamics and system status, (2) driver inputs, (3) vehicle crash signature, (4) restraint usage/deployment status, and (5) post-crash data such as the activation of an automatic collision notification (ACN) system. EDRs are devices that record information related to an "event." In the context of this Podcast, the event is defined as a vehicle accident or violence.  

EDRs have and can make a major impact on highway safety, assisting in real-world data collection to better define the auto safety problem, aid law enforcement, and understand the specific aspects of a crash.

ISDA has written articles concerning Secure Transportation, Security Driving, and the EDR – one of the articles was called “Your Car Is Watching You" (https://securitydriver.com/01/your-car-is-watching-you/). The article is an explanation of an accident that occurred with the then Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts.  

Go to show notes - https://securitydriver.com/171