SAE EDR Symposium: Day 2, Session 5

Bill Messerschmidt
Manager, MSC 

The final session of the SAE 2011 Highway Vehicle Event Data Recorder (EDR) Symposium - a fine event - was the second Unique Applications.

The first speaker was Dave Plant from Washington, D.C. Mr. Plant spoke about research with the new DDEC 10 ECM system. Impressively, he was able to not only describe the new attributes of the DDEC 10, but he also compared this new system to the results of both SAE 2010-01-1004, which he co-authored (dealing with power loss and key signal requirements) and SAE 2001-01-0808, which dealt with data retrieval methods in other Detroit Diesel engines (and which Dave was the lead author of). Most interestingly, the DDEC 10 is a three-module system, with an additional module that controls emissions.

The second speaker was John Brophy from NHTSA. Mr. Brophy discussed the NHTSA NASS, SCI, and CIREN programs. These projects are currently collecting data, including EDR data, on thousands of crashes each year to be used in various highway safety projects (such as Dr. Gabler's work, which was discussed on Day 1). For example, between 2007-2009, NASS and SCI conducted 21,000 vehicle inspections, collecting approximately 600 data points per crash.

The third speaker was yours truly, discussing driver braking behavior in heavy vehicle (HV) crashes. My research attempts to use HVEDR data for the purpose of determining the characteristics of HV operator braking responses in crash and near-miss events. The research was able to demonstrate similar braking behavior between the HV operators and research respondents in testing of passenger vehicle drivers.

The final speaker was Balaji Yelchuru, who discussed using EOBR and on-vehicle technologies for green transportation. There seems to be a great deal that electronic real-time data can do, not just for our immediate safety as road users, but also for our environmental health and well being.

Well, that's a wrap. I hope those who followed my live blogging found it enjoyable, and I hope to see you at future SAE events!!!

SAE EDR Symposium: Day 2, Session 2

Bill Messerschmidt
Manager, MSC 

The second session today is "Commercial Vehicle Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) (and Supplier) Perspectives," with speakers from Daimler Trucks, Volvo Trucks, Navistar, and Meritor Wabco.

The first speaker is Paul Menig from Daimler Trucks North America. Mr. Menig is discussing Safety from Start to Finish. He points out that a heavy vehicle has approximately 10 computers (engine, transmission, ABS, and so on). He points out that the general trend in the trucking industry has been for new technology to begin as an aftermarket option and then move toward greater integration (prep package, pre-delivery) until it becomes an OE factory option.

The next speaker is Timothy LaFon from Volvo Trucks North America. Mack and Volvo are headquartered in Greensboro, NC. The major control units on these vehicles are ABS, Airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), EECU and VECU (Engine and Vehicle Electronic Control Units, respectively). There is also a light control module. He points out that ECUs were not developed for accident or crash investigations, and that physical data need to be considered as well as electronic data.

Beginning in 2002, Volvo does have "freeze frame" data associated with fault codes. Mr. LaFon announced that Volvo DOES HAVE INCIDENT LOGGING. The Volvo EDR, which begins in 2010, has two events: one associated with a Last Stop and one associated with a wheel speed trigger of 10mph/sec. There is one fault associated with VECU faults and one with EECU faults. These have 60 seconds of pre-event and 30 seconds of post-event data at 4Hz.

Airbag control units can be downloaded but need to be sent back to Europe. ABS and ESC systems should be downloaded by the supplier (e.g., Bendix or Wabco).

THIS IS THE FIRST OFFICIAL, PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT FROM VOLVO THAT THEIR TRUCKS HAVE AN EDR.

As of now, Mr. LaFon states that all Volvo VECU/EECU downloads must be handled by Tim Cheek (Delta-V Forensic Engineers) or John Steiner (KEVA Engineering). Mr. LaFon states that the reason for this is that they (Volvo) have concerns about data accuracy, evidence spoliation, and that Volvo has no method for selling the EDR Retrieval Tools to the public.

I think it's worth pointing out here that the engineering, research, and crash investigation community have successfully dealt with these very same issues with the other engine manufacturers' EDRs, including self-funding dozens and dozens of research papers over (literally) decades in light vehicle and heavy vehicle EDRs. Ironically, most of that research has been published though SAE.

The third speaker is Alan Korn from Meritor Wabco. Mr. Korn is describing the data monitoring system that Meritor Wabco offers called Safety Direct. This system can monitor and record driver behavior and alert a safety manager of aggressive driving. Safety Direct monitors and records events (10 seconds before and after), and can include video. It can be downloaded directly from the vehicle or it can be uploaded by a telematics system.

The final presentation in this group is from Eric Swenson of Navistar. Mr. Swenson is discussing the electrical, mechanical, space, and power requirements for a J2728-compliant HVEDR.

Visit SAE's page to learn more about the speakers. View the Event Guide for the SAE 2011 Highway Vehicle EDR Symposium (pdf).

MSC Participates in the 2011 SAE World Congress

Benjamin Smith
Principal Technical Analyst, MSC of MS

For the third consecutive year, MSC was involved with the publication and presentation of new research for the SAE World Congress. This year MSC was represented by Benjamin Smith who coauthored a new research paper, "Data Extraction Methods and their Effects on the Retention of Event Data Contained in the Electronic Control Modules of Detroit Diesel and Mercedes-Benz Engines," (SAE 2011-01-0808), with David Plant and Timothy Austin.

This paper was presented along with research such as Ruth and Daily's paper on Event Data Recorder (EDR) accuracy, Bare, Everest, Floyd, and Nunan's research paper on sensing diagnostic module (SDM) pre-crash data transfer, and Austin and Farrell's paper on Caterpillar Electronic Control Module (ECM) snapshot data. In addition to the research papers presented, some of the technical sessions and discussions addressed accident reconstruction topics including drag sled accuracy and usage, forensic photogrammetry, and diesel engine retarder acceleration rates. 

MSC Conducts Heavy Vehicle EDR Testing

In conjunction with the Wisconsin State Patrol, DP Plant & Associates, and Fox Valley Technical College, Benjamin Smith of MSC conducted research tests on Heavy Vehicle Event Data Recorders (EDRs) last week. This testing was performed on Mercedes Benz and Detroit Diesel engines and took place at the Fox Valley Technical College driving course in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Over 35 tests were run in an effort to strengthen and supplement current research projects. These tests will be included in a publication to be released in mid-2011. They are part of a larger research effort that has been in operation since early 2009.

MSC thanks Fox Valley Technical College for having generously donated the use of test vehicles, test engines, test facilities, and staff. Smith says, “Our team’s research projects would not be possible without Fox Valley Technical College and their dedication to science and technology.”

MSC in Wisconsin Trooper Magazine

In February, Messerschmidt Safety Consulting was honored by inclusion in the cover story of the Spring 2010 issue of Wisconsin Trooper magazine. Wisconsin Trooper is the official quarterly publication of the Wisconsin State Trooper Association.

During 2009, Troopers from the Wisconsin State Patrol (WSP) made important contributions to two Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) technical papers. Sergeant Duane Meyers coauthored a technical paper with Dr. L. Daniel Metz, which looks at tire/road friction at high speeds (“Controlled Braking Experiments with and without ABS,” forthcoming SAE 2010-01-1000), and Trooper Tim Austin coauthored a technical paper with representatives of several other organizations (including MSC) on the effect that power failure has on event data recorders (EDRs) in heavy trucks (“Simulating the Effect of Collision-Related Power Loss on the Event Data Recorders of Heavy Trucks,” forthcoming SAE 2010-01-1004).

Wisconsin’s Technical Reconstruction Unit, of which Meyers and Austin are members, continues to make meaningful and valuable contributions to forensic science, accident investigation and reconstruction, and criminal justice. We at MSC are privileged to have had the opportunity to work with the WSP and to have been included in the Trooper Association’s quarterly magazine.