Hi folks. The following is an EXCERPT from a 2004 Ranger OWNERS MANUAL.

DATA RECORDING

Computers in your vehicle are capable of recording detailed data potentially including but not limited to information such as:

* the use of restraint systems including seat belts by the driver and passengers,
* information about the perfomance of various systems and modules in the vehicle
* information related to the engine, throttle, steering, brakes or other system status.

Any of this information could potentially include information regarding how the driver operates the vehicle potentially including but not limited to, information regarding vehicle speed, brake or acceleration application, or steering input. This information may be stored during regular operation
or in a crash or near crash event. The stored information may be read out and used by: Ford Motor Company, service and repair facilities, law enforcement or government agencies, etc.

Whereas I realize that this issue has been the focus of heated debate for many years, my questions steers clear of the legal/moral/ethical arena. I would like to know if this system of data recording is part of the EEC unit or is it a stand along system? Does anyone know what software is required to
download this data? Where is it available?
Thanks for looking.

 

Oh those dirty rats!!! That is just really out of line and completely infringes upon my rights. Welcome to the communist states of america.

 

I think ALL GM products have the Big Brother chips in them, but not all fords do yet. I'd like to at least have the ability to disable the chips, but based on a show I saw on the Discovery Channel/SpikeTV/TLC (one of those type channels), our government is thinking about making the black boxes a requirement on all new automobiles. In the meantime, I hope no one gets sued over any info on them.....

 

Well, it says it's capable of recording, but is it really doing it?

To look at some of the stuff that might be stored, look at the "Carchip" at the Davisnet web site.
Pat

 

Can you scan and post that page, including the page number?

 

I can't scan it, but the wording is on the lower half of page 6 of the 2004 Ranger owners manual. Notice that the wording does NOTsay that this recording is absolutely, positively going to happen. It says it MAY happen. The capability is there (probably depending on the model), but to get to the info, you have to have the right equiptment, and intentionally look for it.

Pat

 

Okay, the way the system works is this. It records that information every few seconds. The only time it is stored is if the air bag goes off in a crash. This tells the police and ins companies what the conditions were when you crashed. Where you speeding, were you braking hard, were you wearing a seatbelt. The speed, and pedal inputs (brake and gas both) tell them whether you were on the brake or gas, and many times help the police determine who was at fault.

 

OK, can I safely assume that the only persons that are able to download this data is a qualified Ford Tech?

 

Cuda, sorry but no. If you are in a high value accident you can be sure the Insurance lawyers, other guys lawyers will be after that info if they think it is avaiable. By court ordered discovery if its in the courts. They will get it and if you lose the case you will be paying the bill to get the info from a ford tech or "specialest" if necessary.
Dave

 

guess you need to carry a high-power pistol to shoot it to destruction if your ever in a wreck, or find some way to remove it altogether.

 

I went and looked in the manual, and yes, it's there. Is it all that bad? Well, that depends on if you are the one driving in a manner that causes the accident. On the other hand, if you are hit by someone and that someone lies, I think it would be real nice to pull that data out of their and my black box and show to a court just what a liar they are. They will have no trust and credibility after that. So unless a person constantly has poor/dangerous driving habits and/or loves to lie, why worry?

ON EDIT: What I would really like to know is if adding an aftermarket chip removes the tattle tale technology.

 

Look at the big picture though. Big Brother has eyes everywhere now. Streets/streetlights are surrounded by cameras (which are recorded digitally), cars being infiltrated with recording devices, computers being "listened to", they are every where you turn. Somehow I don't think this is what our founding fathers had in mind for a free and truly democratic nation. Yes you could be one of "those" people who claim that if you do nothing wrong then why worry about it, but it's rooted much deeper than that. It ultimately boils down to money and power and our (we citizens) lack of it.

 

Just look at seatbelts. in the 50's they were an option no one wanted. In the 60's they were added as standard equipment you didn't have to use them but the price was folded in to the list price of the car. In the 80's it was said you should use them. In the 90's some states made then manditory and finally they were part of the federal law and you MUST use them or get ticketed. Some say it is part of of a mature society and some say it is our freedoms being limited. Either way get use to it.
Dave

 

Bill,

IMO there will be ways to get around it, in one form or another. A chip-type of thing (or re-flash) makes the most sense to me, although I'm not sure exactly where in the EEC system this "day-in-the-life" information is kept, i.e., is there a seperate module for it somewhere outside the PCM, or is it stored in a seperate component inside the PCM, or is it someplace else? Anybody know?

And then again, whose to say that Big Brother won't one day come around and rear his ugly head again and eventually pass laws to make these bypass chips illegal?

And so it goes...

 

I'm thinking it may also store max speed, max acceleration/decelleration, and max g force from cornering. I'd expect it to store more than one instance of these things along with the mileage. Flash memory is real cheap these days. Now let's not think about an accident but let's think warranty. With this data the dealer can now show that you are abusive to the vehicle and possibly get out of footing the bill on warranty work. Or down the road, your insurance company could learn about your driving habits as a condition of renewing your policy.