Can The EDR Affect My Pennsylvania Auto Insurance?

We’re all familiar with the little black box in the airliners. Their secret recorded information clears up any doubt when catastrophe strikes. Modern technology has now made the “black box” technology affordable enough for you and I.
Electronic Data Recorders(EDR’s) have been installed in our new cars for the past 5 or so years and many of us didn’t even realize it. In mandates by the federal government the automakers were required to install these little black boxes in many new cars. When retrieved, they will expose the driving habits of the vehicle driver. Uses of these recorders can be instrumental in solving cases of car accidents involving fatalities.
Several Pennsylvania insurance companies are testing EDR’s in pilot programs with their policyholders. After installing these recorders in the vehicles, the clients are asked to remove a disk each month and download the information to their insurance company. This information will include top speed, average speed, times of operation, locations of operation and other important information. These Pa auto insurance companies believe that a rate can then be calculated based on each vehicle’s actual usage. According to insurance company employees it has not been unusual to see many EDR’s coming in with speeds in the triple digits recorded. The implications of “big brother” keeping an eye on us has yet to be presented to the general public but it is questionable whether it will be well received.
The possibilities are endless with EDR’s. Keeping a watchful eye on our teenagers and their curfew comes to mind for this parent. Whether or not the residents of Pa will embrace the idea in an effort to get lower insurance rates is yet to be seen. The applications of this technology can someday be front page news.