The Government must act now to set an industry standard for black-box systems before business car users are over-run with different devices for different applications.
That was the message to delegates at the annual Institute for Car Fleet Management conference from speaker Damian James.
Black-box expert James, who is also head of transport provision for Bracknell Forest Borough Council, said he had made it his personal fight to make sure there was better knowledge of these systems within the business car market.
“I’d petition for an integrated black-box within all new cars so we don’t have six different boxes for six different things, plus one per city operating a congestion charge. We’re in danger of having so many that we won’t be able to see out of the windscreen,” said James.
James believed that devices integrated into new cars to monitor a car’s position and other details were inevitable, although he did concede there may be human rights legislation aspects to overcome first.
“I’d like to start an organisation that links both the fleet and the telematics businesses. The aim would be to get a minimum standard for these devices. It would also be useful so that fleet managers can get impartial advice on these systems,” he added.
