COMMON TYPES OF COLLECTED DATA
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An overview of the types of data that may be collected by your vehicle:
Collected by Most Vehicles
Certain technologies are in most vehicles today.
■■Event Data Recorders – EDRs have been integrated into cars since the 1990s,
and are currently installed in over 90% of vehicles. EDRs record technical
information about a vehicle’s operation in the seconds before and after a
crash. This information includes speed, accelerator and brake position, seat
belt usage, and whether the airbags deployed. EDRs are intended to provide
crucial information to crash investigators and others. Accessing EDR information
requires physical access to the vehicle as well as a specific EDR reader tool,
in addition to meeting any consent requirements for a given state. If equipped
with an EDR, a vehicle’s systems must meet certain federal requirements, and
additional laws governing ownership of EDR data vary state by state.
■■On-Board Diagnostic Information – All vehicles manufactured after 1996 are
legally required to have an On-Board Diagnostic port, or “OBD-II.” The OBD-II
port is generally located underneath the driver’s side dashboard in your car, and
the information it contains can be retrieved by physically inserting a compatible
device into the port. This port enables access to information that can help
service technicians measure emissions, diagnose performance issues, or repair
your vehicle. Owners may also choose to plug in a third-party device (or “dongle”)
into the OBD-II port in some vehicles to collect or share information about
their vehicle with third parties of their choice (for example, with their insurance
company in order to gain safe driving discounts). Accessible information may
include driver behavioral information (how fast you drive, how aggressively you
apply the brakes, etc.) as well as geolocation data (where you are, where you
have traveled, and your speed).