Indeed - this website in particular does tend to a bit of bias, so it's useful to validate against other sources to understand the background behind the concerns, valid as they may be.
The introduction of event data recorders storing a range of crucial anonymised vehicle data, accompanied by requirements for data range, accuracy, resolution and for its collection, storage and retrievability over a short timeframe before, during and immediately after collision (for example, triggered by the deployment of an airbag) is a valuable step in obtaining more accurate, in-depth accident data. All motor vehicles should therefore be required to be equipped with such recorders. Those recorders should be capable of recording and storing data in such a way that the data can only be used by Member States to conduct road safety analysis and assess the effectiveness of specific measures taken without the possibility of identifying the owner or the holder of a particular vehicle on the basis of the stored data.
Other useful points to note might be:
Event data recorders should operate on a closed-loop system, in which the data stored is overwritten, and which does not allow the vehicle or holder to be identified.
An event data recorder shall not be capable of recording and storing the last four digits of the vehicle indicator section of the vehicle identification number or any other information which could allow the individual vehicle itself, its owner or holder, to be identified.
In short, the regulation essentially says "fit the automative equivalent of a flight data recorder to new cars so they can record what all these new safety systems do." I'm sure there's an argument about privacy that can be made there, though I imagine it's a bit more nuanced than "bad EU wants to surveil you".
But... Do they have any technical or at least legal measures in place for instance companies or investigators to subpoena this data after a crash? And use it against the driver.
Right now it just states that there should be "measures" in place so that only the "member states" should have access for the original purpose. Given that most politicians live in fantasy land when it comes to technology (in another example they think they can mandate backdoors and still guarantee privacy) I would like to see more specs on this.
If it's not really effective, and I doubt it, it is still a matter of "your car is surveilling you" in my opinion. As good as the intentions may have been, once the data is there it will be used for other purposes. Did we really forget Snowden already?
Not saying this wasn't done with good intentions but I'm sceptical it won't be pushed further in short order. I'm glad I don't need to drive anymore, it's too stressful.
