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The value of blackboxes in avionics has undoubtedly led to a number of safety innovations, but when placed into a car, how much information is too much.

The story points out how OnStar is pushing the limits of their service to provide more and more data, which is intended to assist in life saving endevors, but how long until an association of insurance companies form a RIAA-like entity to force disclosure of data to validate payouts or justify rate hikes 

What if you had a bad auto accident and your car could automatically notify an emergency response team, giving doctors detailed information about the force and direction of the collision and the speed at which the car was traveling?

That data could be crucial to guiding an ambulance crew’s decision about whether to rush you to a fully-equipped level one trauma center, says Dr. Richard Hunt of the Center for Disease Control. Research by the CDC has shown that a severely injured person who is transported quickly to a level one trauma center has a 25% better chance of survival.

"I know from clinical experience as an emergency physician, this is a life or death decision," Dr. Hunt says.

But what if, after you survived the wreck, that same technology turned tattle-tale, and divulged to police or the insurance company that you were speeding or driving recklessly?

That’s one dilemma confronting consumers, auto makers, safety regulators and medical professionals as they sort out the potential rewards and risks of increasingly sophisticated "telematics" technology available in new vehicles.

Article Link: Wall Street Journal

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