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Data recorded by vehicle-mounted electronic control units (ECUs) are highly useful in traffic accident reconstruction. In this context, event data recorders (EDRs) are airbag ECU components used to log information from crash events, typically providing data on speed, accelerator operation, RPMs and brake lamp activation for a period of around 5 s before a collision. Information on accelerator/brake lamp operation is very useful in understanding pre-crash driver actions, but the accuracy of EDR speed data must be checked in this regard. Such data are unlikely to reflect actual speed during brake-related skidding, for example, as they are determined from the rotational speed of the drive train. Thus, it is important to check the accuracy of EDR speed data in accident reconstruction. Meanwhile, pre-crash safety systems (PCSs) are also becoming more widespread in automobile usage today.

Event Data Recorder (EDR) is a device to record vehicle and occupant information for a brief period of time before, during and after a crash event. EDR is one of the promising devices for accident reconstruction by recording important information e.g. vehicle speed, engine speed, brake switch, throttle and delta-V. However, in order to use EDR for an accident investigation, reliability and accuracy of those EDR data must be examined firstly. The aim of this study is to evaluate the characteristics of EDR and to understand the performance of EDR for the improvement of accident reconstruction with more reliable and accurate information on an accident in Japan. The analysis is based on J-NCAP crash tests from 2006 to 2009 with corresponding EDR datasets. Full-overlap frontal collision test and offset frontal collision test of fourteen car models were analyzed.