New U.S safety bill could raise cost of auto black boxes

When word first broke that the government was looking to mandate that all new vehicles sold would have Event Data Records, it was easy to guess that the equipment was going to be expensive. According to Automotive News, these Event Data Recorders, or black boxes, will need to withstand fire and water. Add that to an already expensive piece of equipment and the price will soar to around $5,000.

Current black boxes track around five seconds worth of information before the actual crash, but some people in the government are pushing for as high as 75 seconds of recording time. Add all this technology together and it cause the black box to swell in size.

"But depending on the level of fire resistance that’s needed, you may need to have a separate box, with its own unique design, something along the lines of the aircraft-style black box recorders. And if you’ve ever seen pictures of them on TV, you’re looking at something probably the size of a shoebox,” Whydell said to Automotive News.

Sadly, like most new things, it’s the consumer that will pay the price. If this is upsetting to you in any way, don’t worry, you’re not alone. An additional $5,000 onto the price tag of every new car is an absolute joke. Expect to see the prices climb if these black boxes become mandatory in 2015.

“Any time you add complexity to the vehicle, you’re adding a level of cost that will remove a certain number of people that are able to buy a new vehicle,” said Neil De Koker, CEO of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association to Automotive News.