The U.S. Department of Transportation wants a black box in every new car and light truck starting in 2014. The government agency recently proposed increasing the use of black boxes to track vehicle activity.

Black boxes—which are actually event data recorders—record things like vehicle speed, brake activation, forces at impact, and seat belt usage in the seconds immediately prior to and during a collision.

The data, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, will help investigators and automakers better understand crash dynamics and the performance of air bags and other safety systems to save lives and prevent injuries. Owner consent would be required before anyone could access the data; if the owner is killed in the crash and the vehicle becomes the property of the insurance company, the company could give the consent.

About 96 percent of model 2013 cars and light-duty vehicles already are equipped with black boxes. If the proposal is accepted, all new light passenger vehicles under 8,500 pounds will require the black box effective September 1, 2014.