Airplanes have flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders. Maritime ships are equipped with voyage data recorders. With the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration amendment to 49 CFR 563 published in 2012, virtually all light passenger vehicles built after September 1st, 2013 must have an event data recorder, to include the Kia Sorento. Although Kia is a South Korean automaker, its cars must follow the regulation to be sold in the United States. This recorder, much like its aeronautical and maritime counterparts, is used for post-accident analysis of the vehicle conditions at the time of the incident.
By rule, event data recorders must capture 30 unique data elements. Some of the elements recorded include engine rpm, acceleration, steering input, ABS activity, air bag deployments, occupant size and seat positions. The recorder must register the elements in specific formats.
Although the rule took effect in 2012 and become enforceable in 2013 for most cars, many car manufacturers began incorporating event data recorders long before then. However, Kia is not one of those manufacturers. Kia began installing event data recorders standard on the 2013 Sorento. The 2010 Kia Sorento did not come equipped with an event data recorder.
