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Event Data Recorders

A significant portion of automobiles on the roads today are equipped with readable event data recorders, sometimes referred to as “Black Boxes.” Certain vehicle models have accessible data recorders dating back to the mid-1990s. These recorders can store a wide variety of data, including information on speed before and after impact, impact severity (Delta V and accelerations), restraint use, brake and throttle engagement before and after impact, airbag deployment, with the potential for additional parameters. NHTSA has mandated that all light duty passenger vehicles and trucks equipped with a downloadable electronic data recorder must meet specified minimum requirements for vehicles manufactured on or after September 1, 2012 (49 CFR 563), and thus an increasing number of vehicles involved in accidents will have a readable data recorder.

 

BRT personnel can access and download available data after a vehicle or heavy truck is involved in an accident. While some data retrieval services can merely download the data, BRT personnel are trained and certified to expertly analyze any nuances in the data, and analyze it in concert with traditional reconstruction techniques as required. BRT personnel are active in EDR research and have published several studies on this topic. Additionally, BRT personnel are qualified to train and certify others for crash data retrieval.  

 

Data retrieved from these recorders can be a valuable portion of an accident reconstruction analysis, and are especially helpful in the early stages of any analysis, providing information regarding the strengths and weaknesses of a given investigation. We appreciate that access to vehicles can be limited and certain data is time sensitive, and we will meet your needs by responding quickly to your requests.

 

If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact us.

 

Event Data Recorder (EDR) services:

  • Passenger Vehicle and Light Truck Modules

    • ​Collect data from the following vehicle modules

      • Pedestrian Protection Module (PPM)

      • Roll-Over Sensor (ROS)

      • Powertrain Control Module (PCM)

      • Airbag Control Module (ACM)

  • ​Heavy truck Modules

    • Collect data from Engine Control Modules (ECMs)

  • Analysis of EDR data

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