rustytoys

I just read a USA Today article saying Electronic Data Recorders or EDR's aka Black Boxes are in 2003 and up 4runners which would make sense with the re-design; but can anyone confirm that they are not in older 4runners? I have a 2001.

Any idea where there located too so I can double check?

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...xes29_ST_N.htm

FogRunner

Only Toyota knows for sure and they are pretty tight lipped about their data recorders. And even if it did have one the way manufactures are integrating them, they make it almost impossible to remove without causing drive-ability issues.

That said I don't know why people are paranoid about having one. If you drive legal speeds and don't engage in reckless driving then the EDR is nothing to fear

FOG

rustytoys

I think it should be an actual little computer box so it should be visible somewhere; police do remove them in fatal crashes, so they are removable; although, yes you cannot remove one and still drive as it controls your airbags - personally I would sell my truck and buy one without it.

Well, like you I do not drive the speed limit - no one does; that 25 zone in front of a school that you do 30 through every day - all it takes is some darwin award winning kid jumping out in front of your car. If you are in a fatal crash then it could be removed and used as evidence as they record speed, etc.; I have seen a site showing roughly 30 court convictions between the USA and Canada where the EDR was used in evidence.

Either way this is just the first step though, the NHTSA has set standards and is now requiring EDR's by the end of 2012, its just the first step before full on tracking. Just like gun laws, medical weed, or anything else, its a proven strategy to start with an inch and then you eventually meet your goal.

Btw, Toyota has been tight lipped with a proprietary reading device but they have now been forced by the NHTSA to meet this new regulation forcing a universal reading device to be created; they have just signed an agreement with Bosch to make the reader. So up until now it has been hard to read Toyota EDR's - but once this reader comes out I am assuming it will be able to read all the way back to 2001 models in some cases.

whitetoy

Unbelievable. So you want the 'freedom' to break the law, commit crimes, run over children and get away with it. That's not what the founding fathers had in mind.

You might be much happier by moving to a country that does not have laws, like Somalia.

RBX

An EDR is not GPS, so it has no idea where you are:
Now, if you want to get really pissed, check out how the UK is going to start doing, GPS in every car to measure how many, miles you drive, and then tax you accordingly....that idea will be here soon.

MudHippy

1. Don't be such an accusatory dick. Nobody said anything about breaking laws, commiting crimes(FYI most traffic violations are not criminal offenses), running over children(on purpose), getting away with ANYTHING, or wanting to live in a country without laws(like Somalia?).

2. This, or any other thread as per the rules, IS NOT A POLITICAL DISCUSSION. Your interpretation of "freedom", or mine, is not open for debate. Much less your, or my, interpretation of "what the founding fathers had in mind". As these assumptions are bound to differ GREATLY between us. Thus, heated arguments would be essentially unavoidable were we to all compare our notes on the subject here(so to speak). So WE DON'T!!! OR POSTS GET DELETED AND/OR THREADS GET CLOSED!!!

3.

rustytoys

Thats sort of my point the EDR is really unprecedented, as this is the first time the NHTSA has required vehicle speed history tracking data. So this seems like a monumental first step and then every year they can just add a little more and a little more until its got GPS, remote engine shutoff, etc.

I just don't want an EDR in my car period, hopefully that article is correct and my 01 doesn't have it; I don't like the newer Toy's due to the fly-by-wire throttle anyway, so I'll just buy pre-03 Toys for the rest of my life I guess!

rustytoys

Thats EXACTLY what they had in mind my friend. Because they knew what can be used for the public good - can eventually be used by that same government against the public.

Think about a street camera, it can stop crime, murders, etc.; however, now imagine that same camera on a street in Iran or Syria during government protests - a facial recognition scan like Britain has can run a database and the police can go door to door and round all the protesters up that night - this sort of thing happens in China every day! So the question is this: does your need for a higher level of safety from petty crime in your community outweigh the possibility of being a slave to a 1984 Totalitarian regime that owns your ass one day?

rustytoys

"EDRs and the data they store belong to vehicle owners. Police, insurers, researchers, automakers, and others may gain access to the data with owner consent. Without consent, access may be obtained through a court order. For example, in a Florida criminal case involving a vehicular manslaughter charge, the police obtained a warrant to access the EDR data."

Full Article: http://www.iihs.org/research/qanda/edr.html


"If you are unfortunate enough to land in court after a serious automobile accident, the star witness against you may not be an eyewitness or even a human being. It could be your car."

Full Article: http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_ne...criminal-cases