PASSENGER VEHICLE CRASH DATA

Hallman Engineering L.L.C. located in Minnesota (MN) has the Bosch Crash Data Retrieval Tool and is available for Crash Data Retrieval ("black box" downloads) all of currently supported vehicles shown in the latest document on this page at Bosch's website.

The Bosch Crash Data Retrieval Tool is a commercially available tool used to image crash data directly from supported vehicles.  It provides a detailed report of critical vehicle data immediately before and during a crash.  Different vehicles and years provide different data.  Some of the available data may include vehicle speed, brake status, throttle position, velocity change during the crash (delta-V), seat belt status, cruise control status and others.  Hallman Engineering is available for Crash Data Retrieval in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Nebraska, and all other states.

When Should You Image EDR Data?

Different vehicles record different data and a different number and / or type of “events”. An event is a crash incident which causes a trigger threshold to be exceeded. Data from these events is stored in the airbag control module as either a “non-deployment” event or a “deployment” event. A non-deployment event is a change in direction and/or rotation that enables the Airbag Control Module (ACM) but does not cause a deployment of any of the supplemental restraint devices. A deployment event is a change in direction and/or rotation that enables the ACM and does cause deployment of some or all of the supplemental restraint devices in the vehicle. When the vehicle data is properly imaged using the Bosch Crash Data Retrieval Tool that data can provide significant information regarding an incident or crash. If stored data goes uncollected and is discovered later, that could result in claims of bad faith and / or evidence spoliation.

You should ALWAYS image a supported vehicle regardless of incident or crash severity!

TOYOTA VEHICLE CONTROL HISTORY DATA

Vehicle Control History events are recorded in Toyota and Lexus vehicles starting with the 2013 MY Toyota Rav4. These events are recorded when the vehicle meets certain Toyota developed trigger events. Depending on the trigger, data can be recorded before and after an event. Some newer Toyota and Lexus vehicles also record still images from the forward facing camera. The data is stored in non-volatile memory in the airbag control module and can be retrieved using the Toyota GTS+ software through the DLC port or direct from the airbag control module.

HALLMAN ENGINEERING LLC is available for Toyota VCH data imaging and interpretation.

HEAVY VEHICLE CRASH DATA

HALLMAN ENGINEERING LLC located in Minnesota is available for Crash Data Retrieval ("black box" downloads) of all currently supported Heavy Vehicles.  

Beginning in 1993, the Environmental Protection Agency increased emissions requirements for diesel engines in heavy vehicles. As a reaction to that, diesel engine manufacturers began using computerized engine control modules. These engine control modules (ECMs) improved the fuel injector timing and engine operation which in turn improved the air / fuel ratio resulting in more efficient combustion and reduced emissions.

As computer prices have dropped, more features have been introduced into these ECMs. ECM features were also added to monitor and even record certain data during particular events. By 1995, most ECMs provided data such as fuel economy, time at idle, active diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs), and the amount of time spent in various speed ranges. In many cases, stored data also included how often the vehicle exceeded a set maximum speed.

In 1997, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended that the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) should begin gathering crash information from EDRs. In late 1997 and early 1998, event data recording features became standard in several heavy vehicle ECMs. These ECMs can store data about wheel speed, brake status, cruise control, and other data depending on manufacturer. Most heavy vehicle ECMs today are capable of recording data when a pre-determined decrease in wheel speed is detected.

You should always download the data from a crash or incident involved Heavy Vehicle ECM!

INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM DATA

Many modern vehicles also have infotainment systems which contain data that can be imaged. Vehicle systems store data as it is collected and processed. The information the vehicle stores is critical evidence that is extremely valuable during an investigation. High-level categories include Vehicle Events, Location Data, and Connected Device information. Vehicle Events can include access events associated with activity such as door opens and closes, gear shifts, odometer reads, ignition cycles, speed logs, and more. Location data can include navigation information, track logs, active routes, previous destinations, and more. Connected devices can identify devices that have been connected to the vehicles by USB, Bluetooth, or wireless networks and all data associated with those devices, including, but not limited to, SMS messages, contacts, emails, and browser history. Data available will vary widely depending on the vehicle manufacturer and the system installed in the vehicle. Data is typically stored until it is overwritten by newer data. 

Hallman Engineering LLC has the Berla iVe system and software to image these systems.