The U.S. Department of Transportation proposed requiring Event Data Recorders in light passenger vehicles, a rule that took effect in 2012. That was just the start. Modern cars collect everything from speed to location data, creating detailed profiles of driving behavior. Most drivers have no idea their vehicles transmit telemetry to manufacturers, insurers, and data brokers. This goes beyond convenience features—it’s surveillance infrastructure built into the machine you own. Understanding what data your car collects, who receives it, and how to disable collection is no longer optional privacy housekeeping. 11. Event Data Recorder (EDR) / “Black Box” Federal rules standardize crash data recording, but don’t mandate EDRs in every vehicle. By the mid-2010s, roughly 90% of new cars already included an Event Data Recorder, the automotive equivalent of an aircraft black box. This passive device captures technical data—speed, braking, throttle position, seatbelt status, steering angle—for about 5 seconds before a crash and 1–2 seconds after. The recording window is brief and local; EDRs store data onboard without transmitting anything to external servers. Under the Driver Privacy Act of 2015, any information an EDR retains legally belongs to the vehicle’s owner or lessee. Law enforcement, insurers, or other parties generally need owner consent or a court order to access it, with limited exceptions for emergency medical response or traffic safety research. Federal regulation (49 CFR Part 563) standardizes what crash data must be recorded if a vehicle is equipped with an EDR, covering light passenger vehicles under 8,500 lbs GVWR. The rule took effect September 1, 2012, setting data format and access requirements—not mandating installation in every car. EDR data can provide objective evidence after an accident, clarifying fault when witness accounts conflict. Since the device operates passively and stores information locally, it presents minimal ongoing privacy risk compared to connected