Beginning July 2024, every new car sold in Australia will come equipped with ‘black box’ recorders.

By Jeff Gibbs

All new cars sold in Australia will be mandated to incorporate ‘black box’ recorders starting July 2024. This initiative stems from the United Nations’ World Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations, to which Australia is a signatory.

Referred to as ‘Event Data Recorders’ (EDRs), these devices, akin to those found in aircraft, will be standard features in all new Australian cars. They are engineered to capture crucial vehicle data in the event of a collision, including speed, braking patterns, vehicle positioning, and activation of safety mechanisms. Data is recorded five seconds preceding a crash and 0.3 seconds afterward.

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Additionally, EDRs may detect if a driver has deliberately disabled traction or stability control systems, potentially affecting liability in accidents.

Black Box recorder in a car

The collected data is anticipated to aid in determining fault in multi-vehicle accidents and investigating single-vehicle incidents to discern between mechanical failures and driver errors.

While data remains anonymous and property of the vehicle owner, prosecutors may obtain it as evidence through court orders, accessible via the vehicle’s universal diagnostic port or directly from the black box itself.

This technology has played a role in legal proceedings before; for instance, in the US, an officer’s patrol car’s black box data was pivotal in a vehicular homicide case.

In the UK, young drivers often opt for car insurance discounts by installing black box recorders in their vehicles.

As per the World Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations, all newly introduced car models since July 2022 must have included EDRs. However, starting July 2024, this requirement extends to all new vehicles, including those introduced prior to July 2022.

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