Vehicle parameter data recorder

Summary

This article focuses on currently applied devices that record data parameters and driver’s behaviour in the reconstruction process of an automobile accident, which are popularly called “black boxes” in accident investigation. The problem of formal-legal regulations about their use in newly produced vehicles was discussed. Furthermore, the EU plans a widespread introduction of recording devices – “black boxes” – in common use and a creation of an automatic notification of a road acci-dent.

Keywords: black box, tachograph, road accident 1. Introduction

It’s hard to imagine our life without a car. Undoubtedly, it’s one of the most important achievements of civilization. It gives us mobility, independence and often a lot of fun. But para-doxically, the car that brought freedom of mobility has caused a serious threat to life and health. Every year on the roads around the world nearly one million people are killed and around 25 million injured. This causes huge material losses, which result from the need for compensation payments, treatment of victims, their rehabilitation etc. However, social costs are almost incalcu-lable. It is not surprising that work is ongoing to seek to amend this situation and improve safety. One of the elements that may significantly increase the safety is to use devices that record vehicle data parameters.

Flight data recorders also known as “black boxes” have been placed in aircrafts for more than a half-century. A black box’s prototype inventor was Dave Warren. He created a device that recorded flight parameters. It had a form of furrowed ditch in an aluminium wire. However, his device didn’t look like devices which are currently placed on aircrafts’ boards. The most modern devices can record even more than one thousand different parameters, so thanks to them it is easier to find causes of flight accidents.

These tests with the recording of flight data parameter were also used in automotive industry. Devices that record a road accident occurrence, i.e. not only the most important vehicle data parameters, but also driver’s behaviour, were constructed. It is well known that when many people take part in an accident, their testimonies are different from each other. It results from the fact that each person sees and remembers details in a different way. On the other hand, the results from a “black box” do not depend on its sensitivity or perception, so it is a neutral device that objec-tively records all data parameters.

2. Devices that record vehicle parameters

Devices that work like “black boxes” have been available for many years. The oldest solutions of this type are tachographs that record selected data parameters of good vehicles. In the sixties in some countries in West Europe it was obligatory to use devices that record data parameters of good vehicles and buses. In countries of both Americas there aren’t any regulations, but still many road carriers have placed tachographs in their cars to ensure themselves an opportunity of control their use.

The first devices of this type were mechanical vehicle devices that could only record driving speed, travel time and rest during travelling. A disadvantage of these devices included little accuracy of register, as well a necessity to use output drive elements of a gearbox that are specially chosen for each model and driveline.

Nowadays the era of mechanical tachographs certainly expired. So did the data register on tacho-graph charts – paper disc is already obsolete. But this technology has also some advantages: its record is clear, without the necessity to use some other additional devices, which has an influence on road checks, and, also, it is relatively difficult to counterfeit. It has also one big disadvantage – on the basis of its record, there is no possibility to make a detailed analysis due to the difficulty to display full record on the other information mediums. That’s why nowadays in newly produced vehicles there are digital tachographs. Data parameter record in these tachographs proceeds on a magnetic medium that is similar to plastic credit cards– so-called chip cards. Every driver has got such an identity card, and it records working and resting time, as well as other parameters. Such a record form simplifies a record of driver’s working hours and makes it easier to keep recorded data.

Undoubtedly, with the passing of time a tachograph will enable to record more parameters, and it will be more detailed. Digital tachographs will be compatible with other devices that have an influence on different sub-assemblies and also with such that will help a driver to plan his travel – they will be connected with a global positioning system, and in that way they will transmit vehicle data and its current parameters to the base.

There are also plans to use only one device that will warn about a road accident possibility and record greater amounts of vehicle parameters, so that a tachograph will be useful not only to control the driver, but also the vehicle.

A common use of devices that record vehicle data parameters and also driver’s behaviour has an influence on the safety increase on the road, also in view of:

- technology is a neutral witness, which is a priceless tool for the police and insurance companies, - thanks to a psychological influence of a black box, those recorded vehicle data parameters, it is

possible to carry out an accident investigation in an objective and undoubtful way.

The American company General Motors (GM) for many years has installed in their cars ade-vice that registers data during road accidents and has used these pieces of information to built safer cars for passengers. The device that GM installs in their cars is formally called Sensing Diagnostic Module (SDM), and it is a part of air bags’ control unit. These devices measure and record vehicle speed, brake pressure sensors, time and speed of the opening of airbags and even, whether the driver used seat belts or not. To be sure, they also check if the airbag control that signals airbag failure was switched on. The above-mentioned data which are saved in the digital memory of SDM module can be readable thanks to appropriate decoder software. The SDM module is also called a car black box, as well as Event Data Recorder.

Ford has similar devices. Thanks to them, it is possible to get the information about a real way of car using, which helps to analyze the problems of vehicle’s durability and endurance on the basis of their user’s observation. The data which are recorded by a “black box” are sent via satellite to a research centre, where they are used to create the methods of vehicle’s durability and endurance, which will be designed in the future.

Other producers also install devices to record vehicle parameters.

Honda designed a device called “Drive Recorder” that enables to register image, sound and data image of vehicle data parameters 12 seconds before and 8 seconds after an accident. The information is saved on a standard SD card, but the above-mentioned device is used most of all in Japan.

Since 1997 in cars which take part in well-known races devices or modules that work simi-larly to black boxes are installed. It results from the fact that after a car accident with high speed, getting huge amounts of information about it has got a big meaning. Dozens of specialists work for people’s safety. They need all the information about causes of an accident to create safer and more reliable vehicles.

In the USA, ”black boxes” are in common use and nowadays they belong to standard equip-ment in two thirds of newly produced cars. Also, in the European Union vehicle data parameter recorders are installed in newly produced cars. Conducted researches by the European Commis-sion for Mobility and Transport showed that thanks to the new technology there will be 10 percent fewer of fatal road accidents and 25 percent savings of repair costs. According to UE plans, a “black box” should record 20 parameters, such as speed, the use of brake and turn signals; and also, what manoeuvres were carried out by the driver.

It will activate after every violent speed change or after airbag opening, which will enable the record of a road accident not only with other vehicles, but also with pedestrians.

For the sake of Personally Identifiable Information, the record will only include 30 seconds before and 15 seconds after a road accident; besides, immediately after an accident it will call the health service and police. Moreover, on the basis of recorded vehicle data parameters, an objective reconstruction of causes of a road accident will be possible.

Car “black boxes” are devices that enable to recover vehicle’s kinetic parameters, which has an influence on a reconstruction’s possibility of a road accident occurrence.

The operating range, i.e. the amount and kind of recorded data, time, way and frequency of record are different, which can influence recorded details.

According to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), a “black box” should register the following parameters:

– X-way acceleration, – lateral acceleration, – vertical acceleration, – position of accelerator, – status ABS system,

– position of self-change gearbox, – status of seat belts,

– status of brake, – base speed,

– vehicle identification, – time and date,

– vehicle speed,

– wheel rotational speed, – activated time of airbag, – status of airbags system sensor, – status of airbag,

– voltage of car battery, – direction of travelling, – status of car lights, – steering wheel angle, – status of turn signals,

– status of wind-screen’s wipers, – status of vehicle load.

Also in Poland the devices that record vehicle parameters – ”black boxes” – are used.

Managers of city transport became convinced about the utility of “black boxes” because in case of an acci-dent its causes should be precisely known. That’s why ”black boxes” are installed in trams i.e. in Kraków, Elbląg and Bydgoszcz. They are also placed in Warsaw underground. In Polish automobiles, the most popular devices are produced in VDO Kienzle and are called UDS (German: Unfall Daten Speicher).

The UDS sensors record X-way and lateral accelerations, travel directions or car position (digital compass), speed and precise time of accident. Additionally, in a microchip memory, the informa-tion about switching on or off the igniinforma-tion, brakes and lights (dipped lights, full beams, turn signals, warning and brake lights) is saved. Each piece of information 30 seconds before and 15 seconds after an accident is saved.

An algorithm of this device works in a way that data are recorded just when UDS recognizes a situation as a road accident. In a critical situation from a driver’s point o view – he has got a possibility to start process recording through a special switch.

Researches showed that currently used vehicle data parameter devices cause safety increase, and, moreover, they enable an objective reconstruction and clear-cut causes of a road accident.

Furthermore, it should be stressed that nowadays to use devices that record vehicle data pa-rameters and driver’s behaviour it is obligatory to:

– use recording devices in automobiles in compliance with law,

– legalize and control data parameters in the recorder in compliance with law.

European, Japanese and American scientists for a long time have worked to create a prototype of an intelligent car.

The car, on the basis of driver’s behaviour, will be able to predict its further manoeuvres. When the computer will show that the driver drives too dangerously, it will display a warning or even make the driving slower.

An intelligent car should, first of all, increase road safety. The sensor and microchip system will check if the driver does not change the lane, speed up or brake violently. When the computer will notice that the driver’s behaviour is dangerous for himself or for other participants, it will switch on an alarm system.

Common use of vehicle data parameter devices can be connected with Global Emergency No-tification System in the EU called eCall.

Fig. 1 Principles of road rescue system – eCall

Currently, emergency systems are adapted for a small group of customers and do notco-operate with number E112. These systems have only got private emergency centre, which extends the first aid.

However, the eCall system in case of a serious accident automatically dials a European emer-gency number and sends information about car position, time and place of the accident.

In a EU document there is a record that an emergency system eCall is a priority element of European’s initiative to apply the Intelligent Car, which also has many services in its technological architecture.

3. Conclusion

Researches show that nearly 90 percent of road accidents are caused by driver’s wrong behav-iour and only 1 percent by technical faults. It is worth taking steps to have a positive influence on driver’s behaviour. An installation of the so-called black box in a car causes that a driver finds psychical solace of his driving style. He should only realize that next to him there is “an impartial and objective witness” who is always ready to testify in detail about a road accident. The con-sciousness that a such device is in a driving vehicle should also motivate to obey traffic regula-tions. However, we have to be aware – full safety on the road depends on ourselves in the first place.

Bibliography

1. Steven Swindon „Polska The Times”,

2. Gazeta Lubuska „Czarne skrzynki w samochodach” 3. Motofakty. pl

4. Komunikat COM(2009) 434 Komisji Europejskiej dotyczące sytemu eCall. 5. ĩółtowski B.: Podstawy diagnostyki maszyn. Wyd. ATR, Bydgoszcz, 1996. 6. ĩółtowski B., Cempel C. (red.): InĪynieria diagnostyki maszyn. ITE Radom 2005.

REJESTRATORY PARAMETRÓW RUCHU POJAZDU Streszczenie

W artykule przedstawiono tematykĊ związaną z wykorzystaniem obecnie stoso-wanych urządzeĔ do rejestracji parametrów ruchu pojazdu oraz zachowaĔ kierują-cego, zwanych potocznie „czarnymi skrzynkami” w rekonstrukcji przebiegu wypadku drogowego. Podniesiono równieĪ problem formalno prawnych uwarunkowaĔ ich stosowania w nowoprodukowanych pojazdach. Ponadto przedstawiono zamierzenia Unii Europejskiej w kwestii powszechnego wprowadzenia urządzeĔ rejestrujących tzw. „czarnych skrzynek” orz stworzenia sytemu automatycznego powiadamiania o zaistnieniu wypadku drogowego.

Słowa kluczowe: czarna skrzynka, tachograf, wypadek drogowy

This paper is a part of WND-POIG.01.03.01-00-212/09 project. Mariusz ĩyła

Bogdan ĩółtowski

University of Technology and Life Sciences Faculty of Mechanical Engineering