NHTSA Proposes Mandatory Use of Event Data Recorders in Light-Duty Passenger Vehicles

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed a new standard that would mandate automakers to install event data recorders (EDRs) in all light-duty passenger vehicles starting on Sept. 1, 2014.

NHTSA estimates that 96% of 2013 model-year passenger vehicles are already equipped with these devices.

The requirement would apply to passenger vehicles that weigh less than 8,500 lbs. and would also mandate that automakers provide a commercially available tool for copying the data from an EDR. The EDR would be treated as the vehicle owner’s property and NHTSA would not use or access an EDR without the owner’s consent.