INTRODUCTION TO ON-BOARD VEHICLE SENSORS AND MODULES FOR CRASH DATA RETRIEVAL

(2 day school)

Modern motor vehicles are increasingly being equipped with sophisticated sensors that monitor key elements of vehicle dynamics and severity of the crash itself. Many of these sensors are capable of storing information through the vehicle’s electronic data retrieval systems (EDR) and may be extremely valuable to a crash analysis. Some of the data that might be stored includes; vehicle speed, percent of wide open throttle, seat belt usage, brake application, engine RPM, steering input, force direction, air bag deployment etc. Overall the information from these sensors comes from one or more of the systems listed below. This two-day seminar will serve as an important introduction and overview of these systems. Although not intended to make an attendee to this seminar an expert in the field, the information provided will provide valuable introductory information topics listed below. Extensive use of power point, animations and hand out material will complement the lectures.

*All presenters are fully accredited crash reconstructionists (ACTAR) and have specialized training and experience as sensor technicians/analysts including extensive expert testimony in courts throughout the United States.

Topics:
- Air bag control module (ACM)
- Power train control module (PCM)
- Engine control module (ECM)
- Global Positioning System (GPS)
- Roll over sensor (ROS)
- Qualifications for a technician and analyst as well as other expert qualification issues
- How the systems work and how the data can be stored
- How the data is downloaded
- Which vehicles have the sensors and what kind of data may be stored from a particular vehicle
- How to safeguard the sensor data during an investigation and maintain it as evidence
- How this data should be applied to a situationally complete reconstruction
- How to verify that the data downloaded is from the crash being investigated
- Examples of how this data has been used in previous cases to resolve important issues
- The future of this technology including upcoming Federal regulations

Instructors:

Henry P. Lipian - ACTAR certified accident reconstructionist, expert witness and consultant, former Ohio State Trooper, former Police Officer, retired U.S. Coast Guard officer.

James B. Crawford - ACTAR certified accident reconstructionist; retired Captain from the U. S. Coast Guard with a Masters Degree in Aeronautical Engineering.

Dale Dent: ACTAR certified accident reconstructionist; former deputy Lorain Co SO and Manatee Co (Florida)

Choya R. Hawn – ACTAR certified accident reconstructionist; Retired Trooper Ohio State Highway Patrol with experience as a field trooper and crash investigator