Did you know -- We're being recorded in our Prius....

-- Whether the driver and front passenger wore the seat belts or not
-My briefcase triggers a passenger present signal and flashes the no seat belt warning (I've learned to ignore it)

-- Driver's seat position
-I am surprised there is a sensor or two for this (does this mean both front/back adjustment and seat back angle)

-- Front passenger occupant classification
-What does this mean?

Al

 

I think the classification means that your briefcase registers as a child and not an adult unless you have a real heavy briefcase.....it's a weight thing I presume....

 

About the briefcase on the passenger seat thing:
It occurs to me that the only time that the "authorities" are going to care enough to query the computer is when/if you are involved in an accident. If you have no passenger, just a briefcase I would hope that they would regard the passenger seltbelt not fastened indicator as just a piece of extraneous and erroneous information.

 

Driver seat position is to control the level of driver airbag deployment. Us short people have to be pretty close to the wheel, so a full scale deployment may cause us more harm than good.

 

I wasn't worried, just noting that the data isn't cut and dry. Of course someone could probably create some fanstasy one in a million scenario that could create some legal issue with the passenger present/seatbelt off data (or any other recorded data for that matter)

Al

 

Toyota says when they will disclose the data to a third party. I wonder if they will pull and disclose the data to me if I requested? I was hit by a driver that backed into me a few months ago. While everything came out OK, it would have been nice to have some data backing me up that I was not moving when he hit me.

 

When I first saw the title of this topic, I thought OBD III.

http://asashop.org/autoinc/may/obd_iii_new.cfm

Not that it would happen to us, but imagine getting
a letter from the state saying that your OBD has
noted a smog problem and you are required to
have it checked, possibly even with a fine.

When I have enough weight in the passenger seat
I just buckle it up. Flashing red lights are annoying.

 

gee i thought EDR meant electronic data rater....but anyway...

it does suck that we as private citizens dont have access to this information since it is about our property. in a way i can see the point of the perpetrators... umm ya well you know who im talking about...but i can see their point in that limited access to the data helps insure data integrity.

but it would be nice to look at the stats from sat night when the kid had the car and what not.

 

If you have something on the front seat that's heavy enough to trigger the seatbelt light, perhaps you should take it as a hint that your something ought to be somewhere more secure in the event of rapid deceleration, such as the floor. That's what I do, anyway. I really don't want a briefcase flying around the cab in an accident!

 

My 'briefcase' is actually a cloth messenger bag that usually has a change of clothes, a few pens and a checkbook in it - it is very light weight - the seat sensor is very sensitive. Sure it could be a hazard in an accident, but it would be like getting whacked by a firm pillow.

Al

 

A Sunday edition of the LA Times caused the sensor
to light up. In that case I did move the paper to the
floor. When I buckled the seatbelt I was packed for
traveling, the front side of the cab was filled to
capacity.

 

You can read your car's mind by using black boxes like this:

CarChip

 

Interesting. Only they have a pdf stating that it is NOT compatible with the 2004 Prius.

:-(

 

Also, if you put something on the side of the front passenger seat, it's less likely to trigger it - at least in my car (done with a 2-liter coming home from the store).

-m.

 

DriveRight 600 VSS is compatible

You are right, CarChip is NOT compatible w/ our Prius. I just got back an email from the maker which says that we can use the DriveRight 600 VSS if we wish to, which is compatible.

[Broken External Image]:http://www.sigmaauto.com/davisnet/driveright600-140.jpg

 

One of the reasons the carchip is incompatable, is because it doesn't support CAN yet. Aereometer has an outdated link, as at that site, they were supposed to come out with a CAN compabable almost a year ago.

Once they get it CAN compatable, it should be OK for DTCs and the conventional info, but you won't get the hybrid specific stuff.

On that reasoning, I wouldn't be sure the DriveRigth would work either.

 

Dan, you're right on about CAN support which the CarChip lacks. Just got another word from the maker, no CarChip will be compatible w/ our Hybrid at this time. The DriveRight 600 (VSS, GD or HD) will cetainly work as these products use a speed sensor that is added to the vehicle.

 

I just thought that I would chime in some info on Telematics that's being talked about.

Telematics is a wireless communications system designed for the collection and dissemination of data. Applications include vehicle-based electronic systems, mobile telephony, vehicle tracking and positioning, online navigation and information services, and emergency assistance.

The "black box" devices for automobiles they can record data regarding the use, location, and condition of a vehicle and then hand this info to insurance companies or for research. The technology provides info regarding auto servicing, maintenance, and driving habits. Meaning that the potential exists to change insurance coverage amounts, policy time periods, and risk assessmetn criteria and ratings in real time. Granted this is not going to occur if it ever does for at least another 5 - 10 years. Well the exception is Norwich Union which is a British insurer.

Additionally there are 4 different types of black boxes for use in vehicles. The first 3 are essentially vehicle data recorders serving as trip-logging devices, passive GPS tracking devices, and crash-data recording devices. The remaining style is a non real-time for crash-data recording as such on some airbags.

 

Just a wild guess here....The "I got nothing to hide" crowd is loving the idea of a national ID card.
Peace,
Paul