Event data recorder
In modern diesel trucks, EDRs are triggered by electronically sensed problems in the engine (often called faults), or a sudden change in wheel speed.
The new standard specifies minimal performance characteristics for onboard tamper- and crash-proof memory devices for all types and classes of highway and roadway vehicles.
[2] Since between 2008 and 2019, Korea has fitted vehicles with event data recorders, according to Korean regulation KMVSS Art.
Since between 2008 and 2015, Japan has fitted vehicles with event data recorders, according to Japanese regulation J-EDR (Kokujigi 278/2008), for passenger cars.
[2] In an EU parliament text adopted in 2019, event data recorder requirements assume: the data that they are capable of recording and storing with respect of the period shortly before, during and immediately after a collision shall include the vehicle's speed, braking, position and tilt of the vehicle on the road, the state and rate of activation of all its safety systems, 112-based eCall in-vehicle system, brake activation and relevant input parameters of the on-board active safety and accident avoidance systems, with high level of accuracy and ensured survivability of dataSince 6 July 2022 EDR regulation is applicable to new car models sold in the European Union and in the European economic area but this move has been met with criticism as this standard is not stringent enough.
[7] In 2020, talks were ongoing to draft and define global and/or UNECE vehicle regulation for event data recorder.
These software tools often allow monitoring of the driver's hours of service, fuel economy, idle time, average travel speeds, and other information related to the maintenance and operation of the vehicle.
[15] Analysts generally look at the momentum, energy, and crush damage, and then compare their speed estimates to the number coming out of the EDR to create a complete view of the accident.
The Eaton Vehicle Onboard Radar (VORAD) Collision Warning System is used by many commercial trucking firms to aid drivers and improve safety.
[19] Data collected by the recorders was used to improve safety and design factors in race vehicles[18] and racetracks.
[20][21] In the UK many police and emergency service vehicles are fitted with a more accurate and detailed version that is produced by one of several independent companies.
This tool is made up of hardware and software which provides the ability to "image", "download", or "retrieve" EDR data that may be stored in the control modules of passenger cars, light trucks and SUVs.
The hardware part of the Tool is a collection of components including cables and adapters which, with proper training and minimal difficulty, are used to "retrieve" data from supported vehicles.
The limited need to cover less commonly supported vehicles may make the initial investment in software and equipment unnecessary for many in the accident reconstruction or related industries.
[citation needed] From 1998 to 2001, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sponsored a working group specifically tasked with the study of EDRs.
The ruling was lengthy (207 pages), consisting of not only definitions and mandatory EDR standards, but also acted as a formal reply to the dozens of petitions received by NHTSA after the 2004 notice.
The mandate did, however, provide a minimum standard for the type of data that EDRs would be required to record, consisting of at least 15 types of crash data, including pre-crash speed, engine throttle, brake use, measured changes in forward velocity (Delta-V), driver safety belt use, airbag warning lamp status and airbag deployment times.
As of October 2009, only General Motors, Ford and Daimler Chrysler had released their EDR data to be publicly read.
[22][23] In 2020, an NTSB communication revealed that an ADAS system could collect information useful for crash analysis and risk assessment, but that federal regulators failed to standardize it.
Some forensic studies are underway regarding rules and regulations and warn automakers and crash investigators of privacy concerns and unintended use of retrieved EDR data.
But the use of EDR data in civil and criminal court cases is on the rise as they become more accepted as a source of reliable empirical evidence in accident reconstruction.
In order to access that data, an investigator would need to (1) be authorized by a court or judicial or administrative authority, subject to the standards for admission into evidence; (2) obtain the written, electronic or recorded audio consent of the vehicle owner or lessee; (3) be conducting an investigation or inspection authorized by federal law; (4) demonstrate it is necessary to facilitate medical care in response to a car accident; or (5) be conducting traffic safety research, so long as the personal information of the owner/lessee is not disclosed.
Murray initially claimed he simply lost control on the ice, wasn't speeding, was wearing a seat belt and braked.
But those claims were all later disproven when the Crown Victoria black box data recorder information was released.
[30] The first such use of EDR evidence in the United Kingdom was at Birmingham Crown Court during the trial of Antonio Boparan-Singh who crashed the Range Rover Sport he was driving into a Jeep in 2006.
The accident left a baby girl paralyzed and the driver, who was aged 19 at the time of the incident, was sentenced to 21 months in prison.
The Event Data Recorder (EDR) is one of the systems to become mandatory in mid-2022 for new types of passenger cars and vans under the revised General Vehicle Safety Regulation 2019/2144.
