Search Results

Modern Ford vehicles can be manufactured with a system known as Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB). The Pre-Collision Assist feature uses camera technology to detect a potential collision with a vehicle or pedestrian directly ahead. If a potential collision is detected, an alert sound is emitted, and a warning message displays in the vehicle’s message center. If the driver response is not sufficient, AEB will be pre-charged and brake-assist sensitivity will be increased to provide full responsiveness if the driver does brake. If there is no perceived corrective action and a collision is imminent, the vehicle’s brakes can apply automatically. By detecting the possible collision and actuating the braking system, it is possible to prevent some collisions and lessen the severity of others. Testing of this system was conducted using a 2020 Ford Explorer. During several tests, the instrumented Ford was driven at a simulated target vehicle or pedestrian dummy.

Many late-model BMW vehicles are equipped with an NBT Evo infotainment system. This system is seen in BMW vehicles in all global markets. Like infotainment systems from other manufacturers, this system records data elements that can prove to be key evidence to investigators of vehicular incidents. This system records timestamped tracklogs that consist of GPS coordinates paired with date/time data. These tracklog points, however, are not recorded in regular intervals. Testing of an instrumented BMW 430i was conducted in and around the Bruntingthorpe Proving Grounds in the United Kingdom. The test vehicle was instrumented with a Racelogic Video VBOX Pro. Data from the instrumentation was compared to the data acquired from the BMW by the iVe Ecosystem from Berla Corporation. The accuracy of the GPS coordinates recorded in the BMW tracklogs was determined by computing the distance between the recorded BMW data and the reference instrumentation data.

Automotive Event Data Recorders (EDRs) are often utilized to determine or validate the severity of vehicle collisions. Several studies have been conducted to determine the accuracy of the longitudinal change in velocity (ΔV) reported by vehicle EDRs. However, little has been published regarding the measurement of EDRs that are capable of reporting lateral ΔVs in low-speed collisions. In this study, two 2007 Toyota Camrys with 04EDR ECU Generation modules (GEN2) were each subjected to several vehicle-to-vehicle lateral impacts. The impact angles ranged from approximately 45 to 135 degrees and the stationary target vehicles were impacted at the frontal, central, and rear aspects of both the driver and passenger sides. The impact locations on the bullet vehicles were the front and rear bumpers and the impact speeds ranged from approximately 7.9 to 16.1 km/h.

Data acquired from vehicle infotainment systems has continued its growth as key evidence in vehicle-related investigations. The accident reconstruction community continues to actively pursue digital data from vehicles to be used alongside traditional forms of physical and electronic evidence. Some of the vehicle infotainment systems that have provided valuable evidence for several years are now being updated by their manufacturers. One such system is the Ford SYNC Generation 3 (SG3) system. In 2019, Ford began installing an updated version of this system that included changes to the SYNC module. The new system, referred to as SYNC Generation 3, version 2 (SG3v2) is outwardly identical to the original SG3 system until the module is physically removed from the vehicle. Ford has released the new module globally and it has been observed in North America, Australia, the United Kingdom, and several European countries.

2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupes were manufactured with Airbag Control Modules (ACMs) with Event Data Recorder (EDR) functionality to record crash-related data. However, 2013 is the first model year supported by the download tool and software manufactured for Hyundai vehicles and distributed by Global Information Technologies (GIT) America, Inc. Prior published research has shown that EDR data can be collected from pre-2013 Hyundai vehicles using the GIT tool and some data elements from 2012 and earlier model year Hyundai vehicles are accurately translated - most notably, vehicle speed. To specifically examine the EDR data recorded by a 2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe, two instrumented crash tests were conducted. Both tests involved broadside impacts into a second stationary vehicle and resulted in a non-deployment EDR recording. The Hyundai was human driven during both crash tests.

Accurately quantifying the severity of minor vehicle-to-vehicle impacts has commonly been achieved by utilizing the Momentum Energy Restitution (MER) method. A review of the scientific literature revealed investigations assessing the efficacy of the MER method primarily for: 1) inline rear-end impacts, 2) offset rear-end impacts, and 3) side impacts configured with the bullet vehicle striking the target vehicle at an approximate 90° angle. To date, the utility of the MER method has not been thoroughly examined and readily published for quantifying oblique side impacts. The aim of the current study was to analyze the effectiveness of the MER method for predicting the severity of side impacts at varying angles. Data were collected over a series of 12 tests with bullet-to-target-vehicle contact angles ranging from approximately 45° to 315° with corresponding impact speeds of approximately 12.5 km/h (7.8 mph) to 16.1 km/h (10.0 mph).

Instrumented human subject and anthropomorphic test device (ATD) responses to low speed lateral impacts were investigated. A series of 12 lateral collisions at various impact angles were conducted, 6 near-side and 6 far-side, with each test using an ATD and one human subject. Two restrained female subjects were utilized, with one positioned in the driver seat and one in the left rear seat. Each subject was exposed to 3 near-side and 3 far-side impacts. The restrained ATD was utilized in both the driver and left rear seats, undergoing 3 near-side and 3 far-side impacts in each position. The vehicle center of gravity (CG) change in velocity (delta-V) ranged from 5.5 to 9.4 km/h (3.4 to 5.8 mph). Video analysis was used for quantification and comparison of the human and ATD motions and interactions with interior vehicle structures. Human head, thorax, and low back accelerations were analyzed. Peak human subject head resultant accelerations ranged from 0.9 to 36.8 g’s.

Many modern automobiles’ infotainment/navigation systems store vehicle telematics and user-supplied infotainment data. This data is useful in a wide variety of analyses but is not available through traditional OEM tools. The necessity to access the infotainment module data for forensic analysis can be satisfied by utilizing the Berla iVe system. Similar to CDR/EDR technology, Berla iVe is a hardware and software tool that is used to acquire and analyze stored automotive data. However, CDR/EDR systems are generally developed in partnership with manufacturers or OEM suppliers. Berla iVe is a privately developed forensic system analogous to traditional forensic tools used to interrogate computer hard drives and smartphones. The technology is privately developed and tested. The data is then parsed using recognized forensics practices.

The 2012 Kia Soul was manufactured with an Airbag Control Module (ACM) with an Event Data Recorder (EDR) function to record crash related data. However, 2013 is the first model year supported by the download tool and software manufactured for Kia vehicles and distributed by GIT America, Inc. Even with the same make and model, using the Kia EDR tool to image data from an unsupported model year calls into question whether some or any of the data has been properly translated. By way of example, a method for evaluating the usability of the crash related data obtained via coverage spoofing a 2012 Kia Soul is presented. Eight vehicle-to-barrier crash tests were conducted in a 2012 Kia Soul. The Kia EDR tool was utilized to retrieve crash data from the vehicle's EDR following each test by choosing the software translation settings for a 2013 Kia Soul. The recorded and translated crash data for those tests were analyzed and compared to on-board instrumentation.

A series of rollover tests was conducted in a real-world environment in which a vehicle was driven or towed to highway speed then steered to induce a rollover. This research presents analysis of the rollover phase of five tests. In each test, the steering maneuver was initiated on-pavement, and the rollover was caused by tire-to-ground interaction. Tests included vehicles that tripped both on-pavement and on soil. Four tests ended with the vehicle at rest off-road, and one ended with the vehicle remaining on the pavement. A programmable remote control radio was used to steer the vehicles through a double-step steer maneuver to result in a rollover. The test vehicles were instrumented and data was collected during each test, including steering, suspension motion, rotational rates, and accelerations. A Global Positioning System (GPS) speed sensor (VBOX III manufactured by Racelogic) was used to monitor the vehicle speed. Data from all tests is presented in the Appendix .

The forces applied through the steering column were measured during low speed rear-end crash tests with human subjects where the delta V ranged from 8.5 to 11.6 km/h. Control tests measured the steering column forces without occupant contact. Each occupant was subjected to at least one test where they were unaware at the time of impact, and one test where they were braced and aware of the impending collision. Test results showed that, in the unaware tests, none of the subjects maintained a controlled grip on the steering wheel. All subjects reestablished a controlled grip on the steering wheel between approximately 0.5 and 2 seconds following impact. Results of the control test allowed for discrimination between the inertial loading from the steering wheel and the loading applied to the steering wheel by the upper extremities for unaware subjects during the initial tensile phase of the steering column loading.

Six human volunteer subjects were used to analyze the effects of normal braking compared to forceful braking in non-impact stationary, non-impact dynamic, and vehicle-to-vehicle impact conditions. For the non-impact conditions, each volunteer performed normal and hard braking maneuvers with the vehicle stationary and in motion. Vehicle dynamics and occupant kinematics were measured during impacts and brake pedal force and displacement were measured in all conditions using a non-ABS equipped vehicle. A series of twelve low speed rear-end crash tests were conducted with the same six human volunteers. Each volunteer was subjected to two rear-end impacts with an impact speed of approximately 12 km/h. In the first test, each volunteer was asked to apply the brake as though they were stopped at a stop light, and they were unaware at the time of impact.