Imagine the following scenario:

Car A and Car B collide with one another at an intersection. While Car B is making a left turn, Car A proceeds straight through the intersection. According to the drivers, they both had the right of way, and the other driver was at fault.

Both cars are inspected for damage as part of the investigation. But based on the physical evidence alone, it is impossible to conclude who was at fault. And there is no information about the actions of the drivers leading up to the accident. Now what?

What is EDR?

In a crash in which both drivers have different versions of the story, an event data recorder (EDR) can provide valuable information to help determine what really happened. EDRs are electronic devices that record data about a vehicle's movement and the actions of its driver preceding crash. The EDR records data from a vehicle's reliable (legally resilient) sensor technology in the moments leading up to a crash.

EDRs are typically located in the car's airbag control module. Unlike a black box in an airplane, the EDR records a set amount of data, typically between five seconds before the crash and a short time after, depending on the make and model of the vehicle. With such defined data sets, accidents can be examined in an objective and standardized way for forensic purposes.  

Specifically, the following data can be retrieved:

• Impact sequence, direction, and severity
• Reconstruction of vehicle motion path:
  • Pre-crash data (speed, brake pedal, accelerator pedal, engine speed, other data, depending on OEM
  • Event data (status ABS, status ESP, status RS systems, status airbag, tire pressure)
  • Post-crash data (speed, brake pedal, engine speed, acceleration XYZ, delta-v XYZ).

EDR in combination with telematics

If the vehicle is additionally equipped with a telematics device, the exact location of the accident can be determined, and information on the trip during which an accident happened can be analyzed: Did the driver exceed the speed limit during the course of the trip? For how long? Was he reckless, or had he been on the road for many hours? If the vehicle is connected, it will transmit real-time data, which include additional data points from piezoelectric sensors and, eventually, cameras.  

Which cars are equipped with EDR?

EDRs have been standard for nearly all North American car manufacturers for years, and since mid-2022, car manufacturers in the EU must install an EDR in every new type of car that comes onto the market.

What are the benefits?  

With the EDR data as evidence, insurance companies, police departments, or prosecutors can make more informed decision regarding fault and liability for damages, using unbiased and accurate digital witness data that can help resolve disputes and ensure justice is served. This is particularly valuable for insurance companies with high-compensation cases.

EDRs also help insurers detect fraudulent claims. For example, if an EDR indicates that the driver was traveling at excessive speed or engaging in other reckless behavior at the time of the accident, it may suggest the driver was at fault and trying to shift the blame onto someone else. It also helps to detect intentionally induced accidents.

EDRs permit insurers to enhance their risk assessments: Insurers can obtain a better understanding of the risks associated with various types of drivers and vehicles by analyzing EDR data. This information can be used to refine underwriting guidelines, improve pricing accuracy, and reduce overall risk exposure.

EDR data can help insurers quickly determine fault and assess damages, which can speed up the claims process and reduce costs associated with claims handling. And police officers can read the data right at the accident spot, accelerate the process of determining guilt, and send the results to the prosecutor's office.

With all those advantages, why isn’t the data of EDR not used more widely?

Access to and the structure and content of data recorders isn’t yet standardized or specific to manufacturers or models. As a result, EDR data without specific readout devices and expert translation is not possible. So, it’s rarely used in damage assessments. And with ongoing development of vehicles and technology, data structures, contents, and access techniques may change the nature of continuous data development that’s a prerequisite for reading and interpreting the data.

What is our answer?

We’ve developed a solution for fully automated readout, standardization, and interpretation of EDR data in the msg.IoTA platform, using proprietary hardware and communication software. The process can be performed by any person in one minute. After reading the vehicle data, a harmonized and digitally quantified and qualified description of exactly what happened before, after, and at the moment of an incident is available immediately. Those digital traces can then be processed on the msg.IoTA platform to reconstruct accidents and to identify fault and potential fraud.

Resolving the accident scenario

In the accident scenario at the beginning of this post, both cars were equipped with EDRs, which recorded data about the vehicles' movements in the moments before the crash. The data shows Car A was traveling at the posted speed limit and did not make any sudden movements before the crash. Car B, however, had been traveling well above the speed limit and had accelerated rapidly as it attempted to make the left turn. That information indicated Car B was at fault since it was attempting a risky maneuver at high speed.

If you want to learn more about the msg.IoTA platform and our EDR solution, just reach out.