So, somewhere in Sweden a Porsche Taycan reached 218km/h top speed and crashed
The driver of this Porsche Taycan Turbo electric car is now being charged by local police for speeding and the evidence came from the cars ‘Event Data Recorder’ (EDR), which is also known as the cars ‘black box’.
The EDR is used to record various vehicle data before, during and after a collision or other event. This data can help investigate the cause of an accident, reconstruct the incident and potentially improve vehicle safety measures.
This is why when a BMW i7 crashed in April 2024, it was NOT the vehicles fault but instead it was revealed that the driver was driving way past the legal speed limit and also not wearing a seatbelt.
Main reasons for using an EDR:
- Accident Investigation:
EDRs capture information like vehicle speed, braking actions, and airbag deployment, which helps determine the sequence of events leading up to a crash.
- Liability Determination:
The data can be used to determine fault in an accident, as it provides objective evidence of the vehicle’s behavior.
- Crash Reconstruction:
EDR data can be used by accident reconstruction experts to create a detailed model of the crash, helping understand the forces involved.
- Vehicle Safety Research:
The data can be used to study real-world crash scenarios and identify areas for improvement in vehicle safety systems.
- Improving Driver Behavior:
EDR data can be analyzed to understand driver behavior in different situations, which can help develop training programs and safety campaigns.
- Legal and Insurance Purposes:
EDR data can be used in legal proceedings and insurance claims to establish facts and determine liability.
“In this case, the recorded data showed the vehicle reaching 218km/h (135mph) just three seconds before impact—significantly above the posted speed limit of 60km/h. Additionally, the substantial mass of the vehicle since it is an electric vehicle (EV) with heavy batteries greatly compromised braking performance at such high speeds.”
So, if you are driving an electric car and love to speed, remember this article ……. there is a ‘Black Box’ in your vehicle recording everything and you might not get your insurance claim.
Picture Credit: GTBoard Facebook Page
