Simulation method of car motion reconstruction based on ADR/EDR device records

The so-called car “black boxes” – ADR recorders have been available on automotive markets for many years. The task of those devices is to record information on car motion, driver’s behaviour, state of vehicle systems and neighbouring environment. The records are to allow for accident reconstruction. In general, the devices being proposed are a simplified version of devices that have been applied e.g. in aviation for a long time. The problem is how those simplifications may affect the accuracy of reconstructions being performed. The simulation method of this type of research has been presented in this paper. A proceeding diagram, mathematical models of car motion applied in the method, records of ADR devices, an algorithm for processing quantities, recorded in ADR, in order to obtain reconstructed velocities histories and trajectories of car motion have been illustrated. A special attention was paid to a mathematical description of readings of acceleration sensors of ADR devices. An example of the experimental method verification has been presented. Then, three computational examples have been presented that focused on evaluation of influence of a number of quantities, being recorded in the ADR device, describing vehicle motion. It has been indicated that missing information on some quantities in devices, typical nowadays in automotive sector, may essentially affect the accuracy of car motion reconstruction.