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Abstract
Stand alone EDR data collectors of various
descriptions have been in use around the world for
years. The more recent US adaptation of an EDR
systems added to the crash sensing and
deployment components of air bag systems in
surface motor vehicles is an effort aimed at
creating a larger knowledge base from which to
draw information on “real world” crashes. Such
information will be used to augment traditional
crash test data and assist and improve collision
analysis as well as further the overall
understanding of the traffic collision event in a
multilevel approach to improve traffic safety. The
automobile Event Data Recorder (EDR) has
become the subject of conjecture and
misinformation nearly unequaled in the quest for
improved automotive safety.
This paper is a general review of the development
of the EDR and related systems and a group of
crash tests conducted with different vehicle
models in an effort to foster a more complete
understanding of the intended purpose and general
function of the EDR system, the reliability of the
data collected, and to provide some insight into
air bag deployment criteria relative to vehicle and
collision types. The paper offers examples of the
data collected which might be compared to “real
world” downloads from EDR equipped vehicles
for a more complete understanding of the
collision event pre-, during and post-crash.
Abstract
The persistent use of an absolute “impact speed” to characterize
the “severity” of a collision rather than using the
change in velocity (DV) or change of kinetic energy (DE)
suggests persistent misconceptions among both technical
and lay people regarding the relationship between
those terms and other speed and energy measures in
traffic collisions.
Through a review of first principles, supported by data from a set of crash tests designed to address the issues raised herein, this paper examines the relationship of the closing or relative velocity to “impact speed,” a speed (or velocity) across the ground (absolute speed) as the indicator of the extent of damage and the potential for injury in a given collision.