Airplanes have long had a black box from which events before and shortly after a crash can be read. Such a device is also being used more and more often in cars: The so-called Event Data Recorder (EDR) records a short period of time before and after the crash in the event of an accident. According to the ADAC, many vehicles should already be equipped with an EDR, because everyone has to have one since July 6, 2022 new Vehicle types have an EDR.
But from July 7, 2024, the black box will be mandatory for all newly registered cars and commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tons. As of this date, every new car must have an EDR. For cars/buses with more than nine seats and for trucks that weigh more than 3.5 tons, the EDR will be mandatory from January 7, 2026 and January 7, 2029, respectively.
Modern cars, which are already quite heavy, are becoming even heavier: safety makes cars heavier.
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The EDR can do that
The task of the EDR is to gain a better understanding of an accident through recorded data. The EDR is usually installed in the airbag control unit, as all relevant information from acceleration sensors comes together here – this information is also used to trigger the EDR’s data recording.
The EDR records data such as speed, engine speed, steering angle and whether the airbag has been deployed. The recording is triggered in a time window of five seconds before and 300 milliseconds after the crash.
Where is the data and how do you access it?
The data is stored locally in the vehicle and remains there. They should not be read online. With the help of certain tools, they can be read out via the ODB interface or directly on the airbag control unit.
Who has access to the data?
In terms of data protection law, ownership of the data from the EDR lies with the driver or owner. However, in order to find out how an accident occurred in connection with civil or criminal proceedings, a court or the public prosecutor’s office can commission an expert to read the data from the EDR. This can then happen against the will of the driver.
The driver himself is probably the least likely to be able to access “his” EDR data simply because of the technical hurdles.
It should be clear to every driver that it is theoretically possible to read out the EDR data during every HU test or every visit to the workshop.
However, the data from the EDR should not be used as the only source for accident reconstruction. Rather, they serve as an additional element to the evidence at the scene of the accident and the damage to the vehicles involved, as the ADAC emphasizes. They can support traditional accident reconstruction, but not replace it. The EDR only saves data about your own vehicle and not about other road users. Video recordings are also not possible with it.
From July 6th: These systems will now be mandatory in the car – more safety and higher costs
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