Journal Article
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
2011-04-12
2011-01-0808
The Electronic Control Modules (ECMs) aboard many on-highway commercial motor vehicles contain event data useful to the investigation and reconstruction of motor vehicle collisions [1,2,3,4]. Methods of extracting such event data include: connecting to the ECMs through the vehicle's Off-Board Diagnostics Connector (a 6 or 9 pin connector typically found inside the vehicle near the driver's seat); connecting directly to any ECMs while they are still connected to the engine; and connecting directly to the ECMs after they are removed from the engine (a method typically referred to as a Bench image). This research is an attempt to document the effects of these data-extraction methods on the retention of the event data contained in the ECMs of the on-highway commercial motor vehicle engines manufactured by Detroit Diesel and Mercedes-Benz.
