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BROPHY/ROSTON: 2003 SAE Government/Injustry Meeting


SLIDE 1:
Data Collection on New & Emerging Technologies - NHTSA's Special Crash Invetigations (SCI) Program

- John Brophy
- Thomas A. Roston


TOPICS:
- Overview of the SCI Program
- NCSA field data collection efforts
- advanced occupant protection system study
- real-world performance of advanced air bags
- collecting crash data recordings (EDRs)


SLIDE 2:
SPECIAL CRASH INVESTIGATIONS OVERVIEW

- Providing the agency with in-depth crash investigation data since 1972

- Examines safety impact of rapidly changing technologies
 
- Provides early detection of alleged or potential vehicle defects


PRIORITIES:
 - air bag related injuries/fatalities
 - advanced occupant protection systems
 - side air bags / curtains
 - unusual circumstances [with early identification of potential problems]

WITH EMPHASIS ON:
 - out-of-position occupants
 - small statured adults
 - children
 - higher  speed crashes (belted and unbelted)


SLIDE 3:
AOPS ACTIVITIES - 
COORDINATION WITH INDUSTRY

Working with crash investigators, engineers and designers - case by case evaluation on
  * real world performance of the Advanced Occupant Protection (AOPS) System Technologoies
  * EDR readouts

OBJECTIVES OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAG DATA COLLECTION PROGRAM

Data Collection for 2002-2003
  * new variables and attributes in EDCS
  * Notify SCI of crashes involving Certified Advanced 208 compliant vehicles
  * Continue collecting data on vehicles equipped with advanced occupant protection features


SLIDE 4:
CERTIFIED ADVANCED 208 COMPLIANT VEHICLES

OBJECTIVE:
- provide data to the agency that will assess the "real world" performance of these CAC vehicles involved in crashes

- provide data to determine if they offer a greater measure of safety for tchildren and out of position occupants while offering improved protection to adults in crashes of high severity

RESEARCH PRIORITIES:	
- involve a CAC vehicle
- no deployment criteria [research both deployments and non-deployments]

FOCUS ON:
- system performance
- out-of-position occupants
- small statured adults
- children
- air bag related injuries

INCLUDE CASES:
- unusual circumstances [with early identification of potential problems]



SLIDE 5:
MINIMUM CRITERIA FOR CASE SELECTION
- 2003 or newer model year vehicle
- certified advanced 208 compliant vehicle involved
- vehicle available for inspection


CERTIFIED ADVANCED 208 COMPLIANT 2003 VEHICLES
Acura		MDX

Cadillac	Escalade
		Escalade ESV

Chevrolet	Silverado p/u
		Avalanche
		Suburban
		Tahoe

GMC 		Sierra P/U
		Yukon
		Yukon denali

Honda		Odyssey


SLIDE 6:
CASES TO DATE - 18
(dropped 5 cases)

Acura		MDX		0

Cadillac	Escalade	1
		Escalade ESV

Chevrolet	Silverado p/u	5
		Avalanche	2
		Suburban	1
		Tahoe		5

GMC 		Sierra P/U	1
		Yukon		1
		Yukon denali	1

Honda		Odyssey		1


SEARCHING FOR VEHICLES
Working with Crash INvestigators
- NASS
  * CDS
  * GES
- SCI Teams
- Law Enforcement
- FARS
- Insurance Companies
- Etc.


SLIDE 7:
EDR PROGRAM AT NHTSA FIELD DATA COLLECTION

NHTSA currently collects EDR crash data in three major vehicle crash programs:

 - NASS-CDS  a national statistically sampled data base, currently collecting data on about 4,000 crashes each year at 27 locations around the U.S.

 - SCI  a collection of targeted crash investigations looking at emerging safety issues

 - CIREN  a system of crash invetigations conducted at hospitals, collecting about 400 cases per year

To date NHTSA has over 1100 EDR data files in the Electronic Data Collection System (EDCS)

Approximately 20 files were documented via the SCI program, pre-EDCS


SLIDE 8:
EDR PROGRAM AT NHTSA FIELD DATA COLLECTION

In the first 11 months of 2002 the NASS data collection effort was successful in downloading 60% of the applicable vehicles

SCI is currently working with [these] manufacturers to supply EDR data for SCI cases:

* honda		* acura		
* ford		* BMW		
* saturn	* lexus
* GM		* toyota


SLIDE 9:
SCI is currently "talking" with [these] manufacturers to supply EDR data for SCI cases:

* jaguar
* mazda
* volvo
* volkswagen
* land rover

sample of EDR data collected: GM


SLIDE 11:
sample of EDR data collected: Ford



SLIDE 12:
EDR Data Coding:
-  seven new screens of data variables

ADVANCED OCCUPANT PROTECTION SYSTEMS
The occupant restrain control module can deploy the protection systems based on several parameters, such as the creash severity, position and weight size of the occupant

How do we know what it did and why or even if it worked correctly without an EDR?


SLIDE 13: QUESTIONS