OK. So. I am sitting peeking around trying to help a few buddies in a couple different states. Doing a search for locations of certain stampings for mid 70's Fords for certain numbers. Got into a search on the www.NHTSA.gov board.
Don't know what the hell I stumble into, but I start reading this mess:
http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NRD/A...Technology.pdf
I get to reading the stuff about how wonderful and great the EDR is for crash research and big brother...yada yada...
A couple things that KILL me:
Abstract:
State and federal transportation agencies can expect to incur both startup and operational costs associated with EDR data collection. Startup costs will include both the purchase of EDR data retrieval units and training for the accident investigators or law enforcement personnel who will be performing the actual EDR downloads. In addition, EDR data collection will add somewhat to the time required for accident investigation. These costs however are expected to be a barrier to EDR data collection only in the near term. As EDR data becomes more widely used in the courts and as EDRs become more widespread in the passenger vehicle fleet, there will be growing legal incentives for the states to collect EDR data.
EDRs are a rapidly evolving and, in many ways, still immature technology. Both the Society of Automotive Engineers and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers have recently released standards or recommended practices for EDRs. In 2004, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for EDRs voluntarily installed in light vehicles. This NCHRP program has developed several recommendations for enhancement of these devices to meet the specific needs of highway crash data analysis. These recommendations include
xii
the adoption of the standardized set of data elements included in the NHTSA NPRM on EDRs, the addition of a specialized list of data elements which would assist roadside crash safety research, as well as a list of other required improvements to EDR performance and data download methods. Finally, the research program has developed a recommended EDR Database format for state and federal transportation agencies which seek to collect and systematically store EDR data.
While the preceding technological issues are challenging, they are solvable. More uncertain are the concerns which have been raised about the legal and public acceptability of the widespread collection of EDR data. Much of the public hesitation to accept EDRs has revolved around the recording of pre-crash data, e.g. vehicle speed, rather than the crashworthiness data, e.g. crash pulse. Pre-crash data can be used to directly evaluate a driver?s responsibility for a crash. This report presents the findings of two special studies, conducted as part of this research program, which specifically examine the legal issues surrounding EDRs and the consumer acceptability of EDR data collection.
2.2.3 Other Automakers
With the exception of Ford and GM, the automakers contacted by the research team would only discuss their EDRs with the understanding that any information provided was confidential. Compared with the Ford and GM EDRs, the EDRs of many, but not all, other automakers, provide only limited information pertaining to a crash. In fact, most automakers were uncomfortable with the term EDR, and preferred the designation ?airbag control module with memory?.
I have not managed to get very far in this, I probably should keep reading, but damn this stuff, why is it the sheeple masses just blindly accept this crap. As said before, this is why I keep sticking it out with my 30+ year old DD F series.
If I want fuel injection, someone find me a donor F350 with a FI 460!
Don't know what the hell I stumble into, but I start reading this mess:
http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NRD/A...Technology.pdf
I get to reading the stuff about how wonderful and great the EDR is for crash research and big brother...yada yada...
A couple things that KILL me:
Abstract:
State and federal transportation agencies can expect to incur both startup and operational costs associated with EDR data collection. Startup costs will include both the purchase of EDR data retrieval units and training for the accident investigators or law enforcement personnel who will be performing the actual EDR downloads. In addition, EDR data collection will add somewhat to the time required for accident investigation. These costs however are expected to be a barrier to EDR data collection only in the near term. As EDR data becomes more widely used in the courts and as EDRs become more widespread in the passenger vehicle fleet, there will be growing legal incentives for the states to collect EDR data.
EDRs are a rapidly evolving and, in many ways, still immature technology. Both the Society of Automotive Engineers and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers have recently released standards or recommended practices for EDRs. In 2004, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for EDRs voluntarily installed in light vehicles. This NCHRP program has developed several recommendations for enhancement of these devices to meet the specific needs of highway crash data analysis. These recommendations include
xii
the adoption of the standardized set of data elements included in the NHTSA NPRM on EDRs, the addition of a specialized list of data elements which would assist roadside crash safety research, as well as a list of other required improvements to EDR performance and data download methods. Finally, the research program has developed a recommended EDR Database format for state and federal transportation agencies which seek to collect and systematically store EDR data.
While the preceding technological issues are challenging, they are solvable. More uncertain are the concerns which have been raised about the legal and public acceptability of the widespread collection of EDR data. Much of the public hesitation to accept EDRs has revolved around the recording of pre-crash data, e.g. vehicle speed, rather than the crashworthiness data, e.g. crash pulse. Pre-crash data can be used to directly evaluate a driver?s responsibility for a crash. This report presents the findings of two special studies, conducted as part of this research program, which specifically examine the legal issues surrounding EDRs and the consumer acceptability of EDR data collection.
2.2.3 Other Automakers
With the exception of Ford and GM, the automakers contacted by the research team would only discuss their EDRs with the understanding that any information provided was confidential. Compared with the Ford and GM EDRs, the EDRs of many, but not all, other automakers, provide only limited information pertaining to a crash. In fact, most automakers were uncomfortable with the term EDR, and preferred the designation ?airbag control module with memory?.
I have not managed to get very far in this, I probably should keep reading, but damn this stuff, why is it the sheeple masses just blindly accept this crap. As said before, this is why I keep sticking it out with my 30+ year old DD F series.
If I want fuel injection, someone find me a donor F350 with a FI 460!
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