Black box technology as used in aircraft to help determine the cause of crashes is unlikely to be introduced in NZ trucks in the short term due to the cost of introducing the technology. The devices continuously record information, such as speedometer readings, and if a crash occurs, the few seconds preceding impact are stored for retrieval. Overseas “black-box” technology is being incorporated in vehicles to record things such as speed and braking in the run-up to a crash. But Road Transport Forum CEO Tony Friedlander says it would be exceptionally expensive to retrofit the technology in the existing truck fleet, as proposed in Aust.

The issue has arisen after the recent Asia-Pacific transport ministers’ meeting in Melbourne which discussed a proposal the recorders be required in commercial vehicles to store data about the last few minutes leading up to a crash. In Aust, Linfox Logistics is steadily installing “event data recorders” in vehicles, but Friedlander notes the rest of the Australian fleet “has a lot further to go.”

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) countries - of which NZ is one - are also working out if it is feasible to adopt the recorders. Truckers have expressed concern about data from them being used in court. But event data recorders have been used for years in aircraft and more recently incorporated in cars by makers such as Ford, Holden and Toyota to monitor speed, seat belt use and air bag release after a crash.

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