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!

Explanation of Crash Data Retrieval produced by Crash Data Group.

The following videos help to explain what Crash Data Retrieval is and probably more importantly, what it is not. There is a lot of misinformation out there so this video was produced by Crash Data Group to clarify some facts about Crash Data Retrieval. Feel free to re-post this link or pass this along.

HEAVY VEHICLE CRASH DATA

HALLMAN ENGINEERING LLC located in Minnesota is available to arrange for Crash Data Retrieval ("black box" downloads) of all currently supported Heavy Vehicles. A list of heavy vehicles with data available is available here.

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.

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