Your vehicle, like other modern motor vehicles, has a number
of sophisticated computer systems that monitor and control several aspects of the
vehicle's performance. Your vehicle uses on-board vehicle computers to monitor emission
control components to optimize fuel economy, to monitor conditions for airbag deployment
and, if so equipped, to provide anti-lock braking and to help the driver control the
vehicle in difficult driving situations. Some information may be stored during regular
operations to facilitate repair of detected malfunctions; other information is stored
only in a crash event by computer systems, such as those commonly called event data
recorders (EDR).
In a crash event, computer systems, such as the Airbag Sensing
and Diagnostic Module (SDM) in your vehicle may record information about the condition
of the vehicle and how it was operated, such as data related to engine speed, brake
application, throttle position, vehicle speed, safety belt usage, airbag readiness,
airbag performance, and the severity of a collision. If your vehicle is equipped with
StabiliTrak, steering performance, including yaw rate, steering wheel angle, and lateral
acceleration, is also recorded. This information has been used to improve vehicle
crash performance and may be used to improve crash performance of future vehicles
and driving safety. Unlike the data recorders on many airplanes, these on-board systems
do not record sounds, such as conversation of vehicle occupants.
To read this information, special equipment is needed and
access to the vehicle or the device that stores the data is required. GM will not
access information about a crash event or share it with others other than:
| • | with the consent of the vehicle owner or, if the vehicle
is leased, with the consent of the lessee, |
| • | in response to an official request of police or similar
government office, |
| • | as part of GM's defense of litigation through the discovery
process, or |
In addition, once GM collects or receives data, GM may:
| • | use the data for GM research needs, |
| • | make it available for research where appropriate confidentiality
is to be maintained and need is shown, or |
| • | share summary data which is not tied to a specific
vehicle with non-GM organizations for research purposes. |
Others, such as law enforcement, may have access to the special
equipment that can read the information if they have access to the vehicle or the
device that stores the data.
