Although the report regarding the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s decision to present a mandate that would require the presence of black boxes in every vehicle in the country sparked controversy, some reports show that the so called “black box” system is already being used and has been used by most vehicle makers for years.

According to several reports, 96% of all cars that would be required to be equipped with the data recorders already have these same devices.

The controversy was stirred when some critics of the mandate indicated concerns associated with the driver’s privacy regarding his or hers whereabouts and other types of data the system would gather while the vehicle is being used.

Now, critics are asking what kind of data the recorder would be required to gather and whether the data would belong solely to the car owner or the insurance company.

Although several critics are still contemplating the consequences associated with the mandate and how it could change how driving data is recorded and used, several consumers and automakers are in support of the federal agency’s call for the requirement.

If you would like to learn more about the electronic data recording systems, click here to read the full article.