I know there is at least one other thread about this, but it got derailed so I'd like to try again. Does anyone know if the RX-8 has a "black box"? As you may know, this records certain info so in case of an accident, analysts can determine car speed, seat belt usage, brake usage, air bag deployment, etc. basically whatever occured in the final seconds before the wreck.

The questions are: Does RX-8 have a black box? If so, what functions are recorded and when? Who owns the data? I've seen court precedents such that auto manufacturers act like they own the data (for "safety analysis") or cops use it (without court order) for investigative/prosecution purposes. Finally, can the black box be disconnected?

I would like to keep this thread on topic to answer the above questions. If you would like to moralize about the inherent rightness or wrongness of black boxes or disconnecting same, go here. This includes comments like, "If you're not speeding, you shouldn't worry about what is recorded" or "I heard about this guy once got convicted from black box data" or "Damn is that new Z fugly or what?" Seems like a lot of good threads recently have gotten badly hijacked by the morality cops; let's try to keep this one at a more factual level.

 

Its been law in Europe since start of 2001 for a cars ECU to log certain information, exactly what I dont know, but its max RPM, time ar RPM, current speed etc.

Wouldnt suprise me if they could tell what speed you were doing, if/how much you braked, if DSC was on/off etc.

 

What I am describing is similar to an airplane's black box, for investigation after a crash. Were seatbelts used, air bags deployed, how long were brakes applied, etc. That is all in addition to the logging of engine functions.

 

blah. crap coding. I posted a response basically outlining how this above statement is hypocritical in the extreme. here is a sample, since I cannot stand by and watch this, 8_wannabe's response to a simple question about someone trying to educate themselves with what their car would do before it does it, to avoid doing EXACTLY what 8_wannabe claims will happen because he's asking this question

Quote: Posted by 8_wannabe
"Where should we send flowers to, or would you prefer cash donations to the survivors? It is clear you don't know what you're doing so you're out to hurt/kill yourself. The only shame is you are likely to take out someone innocent along with you plus mess up a beautiful car along the way"

Critique: You have the audacity to mention him killing himself plus the shame of him probably killing someone innocent in the same breath as "plus mess up a beautiful car along the way." Not only does this comment confirm you as a hypocrite, it shows just how out of wack your priorities, logic, common sense, you name it, is. I cry for you.

 

Guilty. You will also notice, if you read further in that thread, when noah explained it was not his intention to engage in illegal street racing, I apologized for my "crap coding" remark (interesting term; I've never heard it before.) I then contributed ontopic remarks about vehicular law in CA (i.e., exhibition of speed is illegal even if you're not speeding. Noah didn't know that.) Noah finally fessed up his comments about street racing has been "facetious" (his words) which is what had prompted my comment in the first place.

With this post I now have something like 1032 posts, and of those my smartass response number maybe 30, meaning my posts are 97 percent ontopic and constructive. What generally sets me off is young punks talking about illegal racing, or how they can splatter their brains all over the road (plus take out some bystanders on the way.)

Now that you have successfully diverted this thread, back to our regularly scheduled programming...