Automotive black boxes evolve

For now, if your car has a black box it's probably recording your speed, skids, steering wheel and pedal input and how many of your radio's presets are disco (not really). But PLK, a subsidiary of Hyundai, wants to offer you (or more likely your boss) a more talented black box. Their Roadscope device records all the above except for the bad radio, but adds lane departure warning and will take photos seconds before, after and during an accident. While it will be a big hit with fleet owners and rental agencies, priced under $300 the Roadscope could find its way into personal vehicles. Photo evidence could be a huge boost (or bust) during an accident trial.
PLK's Roadbox takes the recording feature even further, with wide-angle video recording of accident events.

It's such a good thing these things weren't around when we were in high school. Bald tires on Dad's Chevelle were enough evidence to convict us of school parking lot burnouts and donuts. But video footage just might have had another judge convicting us.

A shot of the Roadscope and a sample of its video after the jump.

[Source: Motor Authority]

This is PLK's Roadscope with video recording capability...



And this is a sample of the Roadscope's gathered data...