Operation of the Eaton VORAD Collision Warning System and Analysis of the Recorded Data 2009-01-2911

The Eaton VORAD Collision Warning System is utilized by many commercial trucking companies to improve and monitor vehicle and driver safety. The system is equipped with forward and side radar sensors that detect the presence and movements of vehicles around the truck to alert the driver of other vehicles' proximity. When the sensors detect that the host vehicle is closing on a vehicle ahead at a rate beyond a determined threshold, or that a nearby vehicle is located in a position that may be hazardous, the system warns the driver visually and audibly. The system also monitors parameters of the vehicle on which it is installed, such as the vehicle speed and turn rate, as well as the status of vehicle systems and controls.

The monitored data is also recorded by the VORAD system and can be extracted in the event that the vehicle is involved in an accident. The recorded data will show the movement and speed of the host vehicle as well as the position of other vehicles relative to the truck prior to the incident. This paper will discuss the operation of the VORAD system, including the installation of the system, the configuration of the CPU, and the sources from which data is obtained for the various recorded parameters, as well as the analysis and interpretation of the recorded data, such that an investigator presented with Eaton VORAD data in the course of an accident investigation has a thorough understanding of the system and its capabilities.