CarlssonPower

I just saw this on the news that many cars on the road are secretly (but legally) equipped with a device called "Event Data Recorder" (EDR). What it does is record data when airbags deployed such as the speed of the car before the accident.

The problem is that its data COULD BE WRONG. On the news this guy was sentenced for 30 years in prison for killing 2 teenage girls in a car accident because the EDR, (yes this EDR thing severed as a legit, silent witness) showed that he was driving at 114 mph in a 30 mph speed limit area. He recalled driving at 50mph and a live, human witness estimate at about 70mph. The judge took the EDR's data as legit evidence and sentenced him 30 years in prison despite no car manufactures can guarantee that the EDR is 100% correct (not to mention it's not being maintenanced nor checked in the entire life of the car)

So my question is, does 2002 C240 or any of the W203s come with this device?

edit: sorry I meant to say EDR not EDA.

yeuchau

i don't know
but it does suck if the EDA records something different

advans

it would suck, lets say if you hit someones car at 30mph and the EDA recorded at 114mph, your totally F-ing screwed

ctC230K

i bet it does, considering the car knows when you need oil, need new brakes, srs or abs malfunctions, the car calculates mpg and average speed right on the dashboard and the dealer can tell what your top speed has been

white_w203

the EDR is like the black box of an airplane. it lets you know what gear you where in, at what rpm, at what speed etc etc....im not sure if mercedes has it. i know bmw has it so you can raced the **** out of your car, blow your engine, and then expect it to be covered under warranty because the dealer checks it.

mig888

When I got my K-kit installed at Topline, Zim warned me not to go over 100+ for the first few miles...because if I did and something went wrong, he'd "go into the computer" and see just how fast I went in order to blame me for it . So yes, I guess the possibility of an EDR exists, haha.

SUNILP

The 203 (if equipped with teleaid) can record some data., I am sure it would record the actual speed the car was going.

bnzct

From my 2006 W203 manual page 19:

Vehicle data recording
Information regarding electronic recording devices
(Including notice pursuant to California Code § 9951)
Please note that your vehicle is equipped with devices that can record vehicle systems data and, if equipped with the Tele Aid system, may transmit some data in certain accidents.
This information helps, for example, to diagnose vehicle systems after a collision and to continuously improve vehicle safety.
DaimlerChrysler may access the information and share it with others

for safety research or vehicle diagnosis purposes

with the consent of the vehicle owner or lessee

in response to an official request by law enforcement or other government agency

for use in dispute resolution involving DaimlerChrysler, its affiliates or sales/service organization and/or

as otherwise required or permitted by law.
Please check the Tele Aid subscription service agreement for details regarding the information that may be recorded or transmitted via that system.

Fikse

saw that story, I'm guessing that most recent MB's do have them.... scary that they can be used against you and put you in jail....

Buellwinkle

The question are, where is it? how quickly can you replace it in case of an accident? Can you plant one in the other guys car to show that it was his fault? Can it be hacked? In case of an accident, have the car towed to your house, then you can remove, wave a strong magnet over it, replace it, etc... If it's in your house the police can't arbitrarily get it, they'll need a search warrant and that takes time.

harpz

They need a warrant either way in the US, so far everyone is saying that is damn near imposible to remove it b\c of how it "fundamental" to the electronics of the vehichle

harpz

from what I can find is thisL
IBM is getting $125 million (for the cars in UE)
Average recorder keeps 300 hours, luxury and highperformance vehichles more (gulp) it used to be 5 seconds

It is all legal and they may even go a step further in several European Countries with GPS

the black box was not designed with police or attorneys in mind; carmakers made them to gather crash information and improve vehicle safety.

For USA: police do need a search warrant before they can get their hands on the box!

Buellwinkle

Don't know about that, the news report showed the attorney holding it in his hand.

harpz

I'll find the source again and post the link, in the mean time:
These so-called automobile "Black Box" data recorders measure wheel speed and not ground speed; which is the actual speed in which the vehicle in question is traveling. This is an important factor, which is based on road conditions and vehicle positions in relationship to the referenced roadway. Secondly, there are no industry and/or government standards concerning the accuracy and/or reliable of this device. Indeed these important elements can make a big difference between the disposition of a pending legal case.


If that is true then why did the judge book him?
Here's the link
http://www.alllaw.com/articles/legal/article19.asp

harpz

there's the link, My bad

http://news.com.com/5208-1041-0.html...2260&start=-74

Buellwinkle

It doesn't much matter because even if the judge took a worst case error percentage presented by an expert, say it can be 10%, even +- 20% off, 114mph, even if it was 20% lower at 91mph is still 3 times the posted speed limit. I can see why the judge accepted this as would any resonable man. Also, the defendant admited to going close to twice the speed limit. People need to be held accountable for their actions. I think people drive too fast in residential areas and they are shielded from injury by a cocoon of airbags, seatbelts, crush zone and lots of government mandated safety items. I think they should get rid of all that, replace the front airbag with a spear and lets see how many risks people take. At least it would solve LA's growing population problem.

harpz

LMAO

By all means people should get punished for breaking the law and injuring someone. You do make a valid point, but I can't help but think what happens when you are on black ice?
as for residential areas...that's where we need speed cameras, especially around schools! A few years back someone got charged and lost his license for several years after being caught goin 200+KM in a 30 km\H school zone. Those are residential areas, I believe on the highway it is a different story. One thing I think they should show in driving school (sidenote all states should have driving school, my license in Florida is too easy) are picture like that from the Porsche that was wrecked but the teen driving it. Blood and brains everywhere, whole 9 yards.
I still don't get why you would be even 90MPH in a residential area in the first place!

ctC230K

Buellwinkle for president!

2006c230

I am sorry I do not like it...I do not like cameras giving tickets either.

The accident was his fault and he should be charged with...whatever the judge or jury wants to give him. The sad thing is if he took a gun and shot someone he would probably only get half of the time.

harpz

ON a side note: a 20% margin could spell jail time also play havoc with your insurance if you ever were to get into and accident. If you were going 75MPH and the margin is 20% you would be going 90 MPH, IN Virginia that's automatic jail time and your vehichle would be impounded.
here are just numbers:
Actual Speed +10% -10% +20% -20%
75MPH 82.5 67.5 90 60
70MPH 77 63 84 56
40Mph 44 36 52.8 32
30MPH 33 27 36 24
25MPH 27.5 22.5 30 20

That is all with the margin of error with no wheel spin. The EDR only records wheel speed, so in a worst case scenario at 20% descrepency with alot of wheel spin. Until they are acurate then I wouldn't want them in the court room (regardless of whether i'm on trial or not).

Just like it can incriminate some one who is guilty it can also free some one who is guilty.

In this case the humans stated the speed was around 60MPH but the black box said 114MPh, imagine what would happen if the black box was wrong. Until there is a standardized code for EDR's they shouldn't be allowed in court rooms

SFoRZA

big brother always watching.

harpz

lol...better question when is he not watching?

Arn560

EDR - I thought this was common knowledge. The default is "Always On" like the traction control. To deactivate, depress loud pedal to the button underneath till you feel the click & voila there you have it - or do you?

harpz

I do believe it is on when the car is on so even if it the pedal was kicked down it would still show. EDR common and not so common depends on who's who, evidently there is no way in certain makes to remove it without turning off the safety feature. Many are soldered into the car and some are programmed into it!

ctC230K

sat·ire (săt'īr')
n.
1. A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit.
2. The branch of literature constituting such works. See synonyms at caricature.
3. Irony, sarcasm, or caustic wit used to attack or expose folly, vice, or stupidity.