The European Union has ordered the installation of these devices in the name of increasing road safety. It is true that the recording device in question (known as the black box) does not directly reduce the number of accidents, but it allows a comprehensive analysis of their causes. This is to enable measures to increase safety in the future.
As of July 2022, every new car model that goes on sale in the EU is compulsorily equipped with a so-called black box. Those cars that were sold earlier should not have recording devices yet. But that will also change.
The devices will continuously record the vehicle’s location and parameters, such as:
- Speed,
- acceleration rate,
- braking power,
- slope level
- Activity of safety systems and seat belts installed.
When an accident or collision occurs, the data from the last tens of seconds is saved in the system and can then be retrieved by the police. All in order to determine the course of the event as accurately as possible. Interestingly, the saved data is encrypted to prevent identification of the driver and vehicle owner. The location of the unit itself is a secret to avoid attempts to disassemble it yourself.
The opening image is for illustration only. The so-called black boxes are small devices that are installed in places invisible to the driver – they will not record video or audio.
