Technical Paper
Event Data Recorder Trigger Probability in the Crash Investigation Sampling System Database
2024-02-23
2024-01-5027
The objective of this study was to quantify the field performance of passenger vehicle event data recorders (EDRs) in recording data into non-volatile memory at the 8 km/h delta-v (Δv) trigger threshold specified by Title 49, Part 563 of the Code of Federal Regulations (Part 563). Part 563 applies to passenger vehicles manufactured on or after September 1, 2012. The trigger threshold is distinct from the threshold required to deploy an airbag. Events meeting the trigger threshold will cause data to be preserved on the EDR even if airbags are not deployed. This is the first study to quantify EDR trigger threshold performance. This data is valuable in the evaluation of sub-airbag deployment crashes. The study was accomplished via analysis of EDR and reconstructed Δv data from 3,960 cases in the Crash Investigation Sampling System (CISS) database maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).