If your car doesn't have this, you won't be able to drive on the road

In European Union (EU) countries, it becomes mandatory to install a black box in all new vehicles as of July 1, 2024. This application aims to better understand what happens in accidents and determine the causes of accidents more clearly, similar to the black boxes used in airplanes.

In the first phase, the black box obligation will cover passenger cars of up to eight seats in the M1 category, pick-up vans and N1 class commercial vehicles weighing less than 3,500 kilograms. In this context, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia. All new vehicles sold in Slovenia, Spain and Sweden will need to be fitted with a black box.

How Will Black Box Work?

The black box system, called EDR (Event Data Recorder), will be integrated with the vehicle's airbag system and cannot be turned off by the driver. The system will automatically activate when the airbag and seat belt sensors are triggered in the event of an accident and record information such as speed, brake status, vehicle position, vibration and embedded safety systems data for a 30-second period before and after the accident. Additionally, the EDR system will be activated when the hood is opened or the vehicle accelerates more than 8 km/h horizontally or vertically.

What Happens to the Saved Data?

The data stored in the black box will be stored in a high security environment and can only be accessed by authorities in emergencies. In this way, the confidentiality of driver data will be protected.

Is Black Box Obligation Coming to the USA?

Following the European Union, efforts are continuing to make black boxes mandatory in the USA as well. A new bill on black boxes has been prepared in the USA in 2022, and this practice is expected to become mandatory soon.