Toyota blocks access to 'black box' data

It's time that black box data comes into the public domain. Just like OBD II data has been found to be public domain, black box data should be public domain as well.

It's my car, it's my data.

The data is available to you now. I see no reason why you couldn't hook up a laptop to your present car and record everything at the data port in real time. There's probably a market for a recorder that is simply plugged into the port for later uploading although I doubt that most people would actually buy something like that.

But not to worry, your car will soon be sending out data while you're driving. Recording data is easy now that all the subsystems on cars are being monitored. Add GPS and wireless capabilities and you're on your way to a brighter future. :-) Soon we'll be able to track most any car and pull info on it. You might be able to pull data from it too but I'm not so sure that it's gonna be your data. I think the government and the automobile manufacturers may have first dibs on that one. :-)

You're not following along very well. Toyota (specifically) and others have the data in a proprietary format, and there was only one computer in the USA that was able to read it. Toyota recently sent three more computers, so now there are four that can read the Toyota data set from the black box. It is coming to light that the boxes contain data that Toyota has spent millions of dollars to NOT divulge on the basis of "industry secret," or some such claim.

I'm not taking aim at Toyota, per se. My position is that black boxes should be public domain so that the data set can be used by the vehicle owner and his agent. If there is a reason to hide the data, that reason should be that the consumer (owner) is the one that needs to be protected, not the vehicle maker. Toyota's position is that black boxes contain information that would make Toyota look bad, and therefore the data should be hidden. If Toyota wants to avoid looking bad, then it can either fix its cars or stop selling them. Toyota can use the data, if it fits, to show its innocence if somebody is suing, but it ought not be able to hide the data to protect it from liability.

If Toyota wants to call this data proprietary why not? Microsoft and Apple have their proprietary data. I hate to break the news to you but most companies have info they consider for internal use only. Do you have a right to that stuff too? All I'm saying is that with a little work, you can record data from your car in real time yourself.

Sooner or later, Toyota and others will make this data available and this kind of data will be available to accident investigations in the future. That seems to be inevitable and there's not much use in getting excited about the inevitable. It's likely that drivers as a group will be hurt by this technology as in most cases, it will be considered solid proof of their idiotic behavior. That's the breaks but that's what comes from opening this Pandora's box. :-)

When MSoft or Apple develope products that can kill me while you are using them, then we can discuss whether the codesets they use should be proprietary or not. Right now, automakers are producing products that can kill you if used the way they are intended, and they are hiding behind the idea that the data stored is their data or your data.

Soon or later is the problem. It should be sooner rather than later.

It will happen sooner than later so consider your wish granted. There's no doubt in my mind that the government will mandate that all cars shall have this electronic monitoring using the rational that this product can kill you as justification. Just remember that you asked for it.

The truth is that soon, many consumer products will be recording our behaviors and I don't much care for that. Even hearing aid are recording data these days. That's modern life for you. :-)

I'm not arguing that there should or should not be data. I'm arguing that if there IS data, it's mine not the automakers'.

I'm not here to call for Big Brother to hide under the back seat of my car. I'm here to say that if there is a window to what my car is doing AND that window is already in my car, then I should be allowed to pry the window open to see through it. The window ought not be locked shut in the name of protecting the automaker. Indeed, if there is anybody in the equation that needs to be protected, it's you and I not the automaker.

My guess is that in most cases, this data will be used against the driver because, in most cases, it's driver error that causes most accidents not a malfunctioning of the car therefore, making this information available will not be in the best interest of the consumer. Not to worry though - you're get what you wish for soon enough.

Be that as it is, Toyota is buying off claimants because the data apparently shows that the car was at fault, not the claimant.

TODAY, the data is proprietary, and Toyota is keeping the secret and settling out of court because if it faces the plaintiff, the data will show Toyota is culpable.

I think it's likely that there is some electronic glitch causing problems with their cars and that Toyota is completely in the dark about how to solve this problem. When this all blows over, we'll be able to give a proper analysis of the situation and in hindsight, what Toyota should have done. Today I'm not going to worry about it. :-)

I heard they plan to upgrade to Windows 7.

Personally, I think it's a problem with software and faulty inputs but I guess you have to start somewhere. I don't think Toyota is going to make public their software. Maybe all cars should be using all the same operating software. How about Windows 3.0? :-)

Not a minute too soon. My understanding is that MS Vista for Toyota has a few problems. One of them being that you need at least a V6 to run it. :-)