Bendix ABS Research by Ben Smith Forthcoming at SAE 2012 World Congress

Kelly Messerschmidt
Technical Communications Manager
MSC

Messerschmidt Safety Consultants (MSC) is proud to announce that Benjamin Smith, in conjunction with Timothy Austin of the Wisconsin State Patrol and Mike Farrell of Fox Valley Technical College, will have their most recent research published at the upcoming Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) 2012 World Congress in Detroit, Michigan, April 24-26.

Their technical paper, “An Examination of Diagnostic Event Data in Bendix Antilock Brake System Electronic Control Units,” will be presented during the Event Data Recorders (EDR) section of the Occupant Protection session.

The paper pertains to the function and accuracy of the Bendix EC-60 and EC-30 ABS controllers in real-world crash scenarios. In particular, the study focuses on the diagnostic event recording and reporting functions within the electronic controllers of Bendix ABS systems.

This research is unique, as it is the first time that Bendix ABS systems have been formally explored as a source of crash event data in the investigations of motor vehicle crashes. The underlying research for this paper was conducted in the spring of last year on late-model Volvo and International commercial vehicles in Appleton, Wisconsin.

SAE EDR Symposium: Day 2, Session 5

Bill Messerschmidt
Manager
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

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 4

Bill Messerschmidt
Manager
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

Wrapping up the SAE 2011 Highway Vehicle EDR Symposium are two sessions on "Unique Applications." The first of these is on Video Data Recorders. The speakers are from two video providers (DriveCam and SmartDrive) and two universities - Virginia Tech and the University of Iowa.

The first speaker is Robert Bartels from DriveCam. One of DriveCam's goals is to provide video that can be used as a training tool to improve performance and teach drivers better behavior and skills. DriveCam works on the following progression: capture risky behavior, upload triggered events, review and analyze, provide to company, coach driver, driver returns with better skills or understanding. DriveCam boasts cost savings for collisions up to 80% for clients, and fuel and maintenance savings of up to 12%.

The second speaker is Matthew Camden from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI). Mr. Camden is discussing the combination of Onboard Safety Monitoring systems (OBSMs) with behavior-based safety methods. VTTI studied the implementation of DriveCam in commercial vehicles for two fleets in the US (50 drivers per fleet). Based on their study, the combination of monitoring and coaching produced statistically significant safety benefits (fewer crashes and near misses).

The third speaker is Dr. Daniel McGehee from the University of Iowa. He is speaking by way of video feed. Dr. McGehee is describing the integration of Video Data Recorders (VDR) (like DriveCam and SmartDrive) into the Automatic Crash Notification system. VDR systems have several advantages over other systems, largely because they are capable of providing more information on the context surrounding the crash.

The video feed itself was the one disappointment - otherwise the Symposium has been carried out flawlessly. The problem appears to be that the internet connection speed isn't good enough to support voice + video, and only about every third word of Dr. McGehee's has been audible. The disappointment really is that I've read quite a bit of Dr. McGehee's work, and I was greatly looking forward to his presentation. However, the session organizer, Ms. Freund, announced that Dr. McGehee will be recording an audio file to supplement his PowerPoint.

The final speaker is Jason Palmer from SmartDrive. SmartDrive has a database of 38 million safety critical events, which they use to evaluate driver behavior. Like the other presenters in this area, Mr. Palmer is speaking to the benefits of video monitoring with driver coaching. One of the biggest value-added attributes of these systems (both DriveCam and SmartDrive) is that these companies have gone to great lengths to make the data very easy for the safety manager (coach) to understand and then communicate with drivers.

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

SAE EDR Symposium: Day 2, Session 2

Bill Messerschmidt
Manager
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

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).

SAE EDR Symposium: Day 2, Session 1

Bill Messerschmidt
Manager

Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

The second day of the SAE 2011 Highway Vehicle Event Data Recorder (EDR) Symposium kicks off with a morning session on international perspectives on EDRs. Speakers from Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, and Japan will be up this morning.

The session begins with Ralph-Roland Schmidt-Cotta from Continental GmbH in Germany. Herr Schmidt-Cotta is covering the historical background of EDRs. This history goes back to 1971, when mechanical tachographs were mandated in the European Economic Community. In 1973, the German Traffic Court Conference called for an Accident Data Recorder. Currently, the EU is attending to vulnerable road users (cyclists and motorcycle users) because fatalities among these road users are increasing relative to the number of overall fatalities. EDR technology may assist in these incidents. The European Parliament will be considering several bills that may require EDR technology in Europe for accident research, but the use of EDR data in civil and criminal proceedings will likely be left to the national level.

The second speaker, from the Japan Automotive Research Institute (JARI), is Nobuyki Uchida. His presentation is Human Error Analysis in Pedestrian Incidents. In Japan, pedestrian accidents account for approximately 35% of fatalities. In response to this, JARI conducted a naturalistic driving study using video recorders. Five video cameras were linked to vehicle onboard data, such as speed pulse and brake activations. Based on their research, attentional allocation and temporal obstructions were causal factors in drivers making the incorrect decision that it was safe to turn. JARI will be working to develop pedestrian sensors that can assist drivers in avoiding these crashes.

The third speaker is Tobias Aberle, from AXA Winterthur in Switzerland. AXA implemented a crash data recorder for its customers and offered a 15% discount on insurance premiums. These crash recorders are specifically designed for capturing data after an incident, and they provide overwrite protection, backup power, and record at higher resolution during the crash than during the seconds leading up to and after it. This is quite nice, since it was designed for accident investigations. I am a bit surprised that the crash recorder is a robust accelerometer and doesn't include driver inputs such as throttle position or brake pedal position.

The final speaker of the first session today is Dr. Anders Ydenius from Folksam Research in Sweden. Dr. Ydenius has analyzed crashes with EDR-equipped vehicles between 1992 and 2008, with a specific focus on road design and its interaction with driver and occupant injuries. Crashes were analyzed by speed limit, crash type, friction conditions, and fixed object (for single vehicle crashes). One of the (several) interesting conclusions was that wire guardrails and W guardrails offer significant potential for injury mitigation over concrete barriers.

This is one of the coolest aspects of this seminar: having renowned international speakers from Europe and Asia offers excellent perspective.

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

SAE EDR Symposium: Day 1, Session 2

Bill Messerschmidt
Manager

Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

The second session is Passenger Car Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Event Data Recorders (EDRs). The first speaker is James Engle from Ford. His presentation is an overview of the Ford EDR systems (powertrain control module, restraint control module). He is discussing how Ford EDRs are changing to become Part 563 compliant. The most notable change from a crash investigation standpoint is that data won't be recorded on the PCM anymore.

Next speakers are from Chrysler: Lisa Fodale & James Bielenda. Ms. Fodale is describing the three phases of Chrysler EDRs (Phase 1: 2005-2007MY, Phase 2: 2008-2009MY, Phase 3: 2010-2012). She's provided a really good, succinct summary of the increasing amount of data supported in these EDRs. Mr. Beilenda provided a great segment on numerous applications of Chrysler EDRs. Both sections were great summaries of where these two manufacturers are with EDRs and Part 563 compliance.

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

SAE EDR Symposium: Day 1, Session 1

Bill Messerschmidt

Manager
Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research is an awesome facility. One really nice aspect of the room is that seating is at tables with five (comfortable) chairs. There's plenty of space, room for briefcases and backpacks, and the wifi is great! Opening comments from the Hon. Ann Ferro were delivered by video--tough to pull off, but with the technology in this building and the organizers' preparation, it came off quite well.

First speaker is Dr. Gabler from Virginia Tech. Dr. Gabler is discussing the "Big Picture" on light vehicle Event Data Recorders (EDRs). In general, the topic is how he and NHTSA are using EDR data to improve vehicle safety. It's pretty amazing, sitting here today, to think that 10 years ago Dr. Gabler was asked IF EDR data could be used for safety research. Personally, the most fascinating thing in Dr. Gabler's presentation is the use of EDR data for improving triage decisions after serious crashes.

Next speaker is Sandeep Kar. This presentation is about trends in telematics and urbanization. The topic of population growth patterns (mega cities to mega regions and mega corridors) affecting the development of new vehicle types is not a topic I've specifically thought about, but wow! There is incredible potential here for using telematics in a number of ways (including safety and compliance, but also emissions & logistics).

Third speaker is Joseph Kanianthra. Dr. Kanianthra is discussing the future of EDRs in safety. Ninety percent of primary causal factors are related to the operator: recognition errors, decision errors, erratic actions, fatigue, impairment, etc. Only 10% are primarily vehicle or roadway defect-related. The major idea of this presentation is that future injury and fatality prevention will be driven by prevention, more so than enhanced protection.

I think the moderator, John Hinch of NHTSA summed it up well: the big picture is bigger than any one person imagines.

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

SAE to Hold 2011 EDR Symposium, June 6-8

Kelly Messerschmidt

Technical Communications Manager

Messerschmidt Safety Consultants

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) will hold an Event Data Recorder (EDR) Symposium at the Institute Conference Center, in Danville, Virginia, June 6-8, 2011.

MSC’s Bill Messerschmidt will be speaking at the EDR Symposium on analyzing driver behavior using HVEDR data, during the second Unique Applications session, on June 8^th. This year’s event marks the fourth EDR Symposium held since 1999.

The SAE 2011 EDR Symposium includes 38 speakers from the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Switzerland, Germany, and Sweden. These 38 speakers include university researchers, government researchers, trucking company executives and safety managers, industry engineers and executives, and consultants. Read about the speakers.

Technical sessions include Video Data Recorder applications, Standards Development, Passenger Car EDRs, International Activities, and Unique Applications.

You can learn more about the 2011 EDR Symposium at the SAE website. The links on the page include registration, travel, and exhibitor information, as well as speaker bios and descriptions of the technical sessions.

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.

Research to be Included in SAE Transactions

On April 21st, Bill Messerschmidt presented his research paper titled "A Statistical Analysis of Event Data from Heavy Vehicle Event Data Recorders" at the 2009 Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress in Detroit, Michigan. The paper was co-authored by Jeffrey W. Muttart.

Bill and Jeff's paper was nominated for inclusion in SAE Transactions, a compilation of the year's most significant technical research. At the World Congress, session organizers announced that the paper was selected for inclusion in this prestigious collection.