The author uses a sensationalized title to set your mind against the idea, then tries to change it with facts and logic, and fails miserably.
I was open to the idea of having explosive devices in my vehicle to activate the airbags and seatbelts before I read this article. Now I'm paranoid that the government is going to use those explosives to take me out through their satellite uplink to the black box if I say something out of line or vote the wrong way in November.
2002 Chevy 3500 DRW 8.1L/Allison
2000 Palomino B1500
...and the reason why I need a DRW to haul a Palomino:
2004 United 7x14 tandem axle enclosed toy trailer
2011 PJ 8x20 7-ton deckover equipment trailer
The box also has a cockpit voice recorder function. A survey has shown that the most common last words in pick up trucks in Texas are, "Here, hold my beer, watch this".
Just kidding.
Bill Simonds
'99 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom
330HP "Yellow" motor
'94 K5 Blazer 4X4 toad
Well unless you have been living under a rock this is old news. Big brother has been gathering this data along with the manufactures to help keep us safe. Now what the police will do is down load all the data 3 minutes prior to an event and uses the information in their accident investigation. An event can be anything like sliming on your brakes hard enough to deploy the ABS system or a hard lane change. DCX used this info to fend off a lawsuit from a customer claming she was wearing her seatbelt during a crash with air bag deployment that broke her nose and caused abrasions. With the stored data DCX was able to prove she was not wearing her seatbelt and did not have to pay out. If your not doing anything wrong you don’t have anything to worry about now do you?
Don
By the way could you tell me what GM vehicles in 1974 had air bags? I don’t think they came out until the late eights, but I might be wrong.
But my 76 Chevy Nova Concrose, 77 Chevy Monza, 85 Olds delta 88 Royal Brougham or my Dads 87 Pontiac Parisian? Brougham didn’t have air bags and all were loaded.
I notice that you are in Canada, which must have very different laws about accessing this “black box”, than does the US. In the US, unless the Insurance Co has required you to waive your right of ownership to the box, which some do, they are prohibited from accessing the information during an investigation, except by court order. The Police are required to get a search warrant in order to access the information, as the box is owned by the vehicle owner, and this includes leased vehicles. Yes it is used by both the Insurance industry and the Police, but with supposedly tight controls.
Bob & Betsy(FishNFanatic) - USN Aviation Ret'd '78 & FL LEO Ret'd '03 & "Oath Keeper Forever" '05 HR Endeavor 40PRQ, 400 Cummins W/ 540w/35A solar system -Pulling our '05 GMC Sierra LT, CC, Z-71, w/ 2010 Silver Rzr in back. Where the wheels are stopped
mkirsch wrote: Now I'm paranoid that the government is going to use those explosives to take me out through their satellite uplink to the black box if I say something out of line or vote the wrong way in November.
You're from New York state-- based on your track record, its clear that you people shouldnt be allowed to vote.
08 Dodge Ram 3500 Mega Cab 6 sp manual
08 WW FK 2100
08 Rhino
99 Honda TRX 400
9-11: Never Forget!!!
If you have the urge to fly your country's flag, then go do it on your native soil.
Perrysburg Dodgeboy wrote: By the way could you tell me what GM vehicles in 1974 had air bags? I don’t think they came out until the late eights, but I might be wrong.
But my 76 Chevy Nova Concrose, 77 Chevy Monza, 85 Olds delta 88 Royal Brougham or my Dads 87 Pontiac Parisian? Brougham didn’t have air bags and all were loaded.
1973 was when they were first installed in experimental stages, the 1974 Olds Toronado was the first 'production' vehicle to have an air bag as an option. The research goes back to the 50s actually.
Quote from an article: "Some interesting notes about the General Motors 1973-1974-1975-1976 'air cushion restraint' system:
Both Ford and General Motors began inflatable restraint experimentation in the late '50s based on John Hetrick's 1953 patent.
Ford had planned on introducing air bag equipped vehicles for the 1971 model year. The program was shelved at the end of 1969 due to insurmountable problems.
Both GM and Ford were stymid by two tall technical hurdles: accurately and reliably sensing the need for crash protection and inflating the air bag in roughly 40 milliseconds.
1973- General Motors manufactures 1,000 Chevrolets equipped with experimental air bags and provides them to fleet customers for testing. Infant, unrestrained on the passenger seat of one of the experimental Chevrolets, is killed when a passenger bag deploys in a wreck. GM considers that the first air bag fatality.
1974-1976 GM offers air bags as a option on select GM vehicles.At the time, the optional air bag system cost $180- $300 in 1974 dollars.
The 1974 Oldsmobile Toronado is considered the first production GM vehicle to offer a air bag system as a option.
GM had set up production to allow 100,000 air bag units to be produced each year. In reality, GM only sold 10,321 air bag equipped vehicles over a three year period.
GM owned AC Electronics provided the accelerometers used in these early air bag systems. They originally had been designed and developed for the Boeing 747 inertial navigation system.
At the time, GM's first generation air bags were the most sophisticated electro-mechanical system engineered for an automobile.To facilitate detailed crash data and analysis of the events after a major collision, GM's electronic- monitoring system was fitted with a set of sensors to record and quantify the crash sequence. Basically, the air bag crash data was being recorded back in 1974.
7 years after GM withdrew its optional air bag, Mercedes Benz offered an air bag equipped vehicle."
Very cool IB I had no idea they were installed that eary, I did know they had the technology many years ago along with anti-lock brakes back in the 30’s Packard and one other I think.
Don
Perrysburg Dodgeboy wrote: Well unless you have been living under a rock this is old news. Big brother has been gathering this data along with the manufactures to help keep us safe. Now what the police will do is down load all the data 3 minutes prior to an event and uses the information in their accident investigation. An event can be anything like sliming on your brakes hard enough to deploy the ABS system or a hard lane change. DCX used this info to fend off a lawsuit from a customer claming she was wearing her seatbelt during a crash with air bag deployment that broke her nose and caused abrasions. With the stored data DCX was able to prove she was not wearing her seatbelt and did not have to pay out. If your not doing anything wrong you don’t have anything to worry about now do you?
Don
By the way could you tell me what GM vehicles in 1974 had air bags? I don’t think they came out until the late eights, but I might be wrong.
But my 76 Chevy Nova Concrose, 77 Chevy Monza, 85 Olds delta 88 Royal Brougham or my Dads 87 Pontiac Parisian? Brougham didn’t have air bags and all were loaded.
They were optional in the 70's on big Caddys & I think Olds Toronados.
John and Elizabeth (Liz), with 3 nutty cats
My beloved St. Bernard, Marm, lost him 1/2/12
Current rig:
1992 International Genesis school bus conversion
. The blog is to inform those that may not know.
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