I'm sure some of you were already aware of this but I wasn't. The Q50 has a black box like an airplane that records vehicle system data in certain crash or crash-like situations, like an air bag deployment or hitting a road obstacle. Infiniti calls it their EDR (Event Data Recorder) as do other manufacturers. From what I can gather, it is different than the vehicle data transmission feature that you see pop up on your upper display on a monthly basis.
The EDR continuously records data related to vehicle dynamics and safety systems for the prior 30 seconds before a crash event and if power is still available, then writes that data to an EPROM.
Infiniti doesn't list everything that is recorded but does mention the following:
How the various systems in your vehicle were operating.
Whether the driver and passenger seat belts were fastened.
Accelerator and brake pedal positions.
Steering angle.
How fast the vehicle was traveling.
I would imagine that's just the tip of the iceberg as far as what is recorded. Older EDRs record 6-8 pages of data while newer EDRs include many more pages depending on the make/model/year. This data can only be accessed with special scanning tools (No OBD2 reader will do it). That data can and has been used by law enforcement and insurance agencies in court as part of crash investigations.
If you're thinking about disabling the EDR because you don't want Big Brother recording your nefarious driving habits, many states have made it criminal to disable EDRs. In addition, EDRs are typically part of the airbag/collision system and disabling the EDR can also disable the airbag system and cause the vehicle to throw an airbag malfunction light.
Infiniti states that "EDR data will only be accessed with the consent of the vehicle owner or lessee or as otherwise required or permitted by law." That makes me sleep well at night...
The EDR continuously records data related to vehicle dynamics and safety systems for the prior 30 seconds before a crash event and if power is still available, then writes that data to an EPROM.
Infiniti doesn't list everything that is recorded but does mention the following:
How the various systems in your vehicle were operating.
Whether the driver and passenger seat belts were fastened.
Accelerator and brake pedal positions.
Steering angle.
How fast the vehicle was traveling.
I would imagine that's just the tip of the iceberg as far as what is recorded. Older EDRs record 6-8 pages of data while newer EDRs include many more pages depending on the make/model/year. This data can only be accessed with special scanning tools (No OBD2 reader will do it). That data can and has been used by law enforcement and insurance agencies in court as part of crash investigations.
If you're thinking about disabling the EDR because you don't want Big Brother recording your nefarious driving habits, many states have made it criminal to disable EDRs. In addition, EDRs are typically part of the airbag/collision system and disabling the EDR can also disable the airbag system and cause the vehicle to throw an airbag malfunction light.
Infiniti states that "EDR data will only be accessed with the consent of the vehicle owner or lessee or as otherwise required or permitted by law." That makes me sleep well at night...
