The black box era begins for cars!

Starting from July 2024, it will become mandatory for cars sold in Europe to be equipped with an Event Data Recorder (EDR). This system will function in a manner similar to the black boxes found in airplanes.

The regulation, which will apply in European Union countries, will cover M1 category vehicles, eight-seater cars, and N1 class vehicles weighing under 3500 kilograms, including pickup trucks and vans. This new regulation will be valid in 27 countries, including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.

The EDR system will be embedded in the vehicle's airbag system and cannot be turned off voluntarily. The EDR will activate when the airbag and seatbelt sensors are triggered. Additionally, the system will activate when the vehicle's hood is opened, or when its speed increases by more than 8 kilometers per hour in 0.15 seconds, either horizontally or vertically.

Black boxes will collect data on speed, braking, position, vehicle vibration, and embedded safety systems. When an emergency is detected, the vehicle will be able to call for help via the mandatory eCall system. The EDR will record vehicle data with high accuracy, and this data will be protected in such a way that it can only be accessed by authorities in emergency situations. In this way, the privacy of the driver's data will be protected.