EDR (Event Data Recorder)
Definition
An onboard module that records pre-crash speed, throttle, brake application, steering input and seatbelt status for several seconds before airbag deployment. The relevant Indian standard for Event Data Recorders is AIS-184, which was notified with mandatory fitment in new passenger cars from April 2024.
- Full name
- Event Data Recorder
- Data captured
- Pre-crash speed, throttle, brake, steering, seatbelt status
- Recording window
- Several seconds before airbag deployment
- Indian standard
- AIS-192 (draft stage as of 2024)
- India fitment status
- Not mandated as of April 2024
Common questions
Why is EDR data treated cautiously in jurisdictions without a mandatory fitment standard?+
Without a finalised standard like AIS-192, recording parameters, data retention, and extraction tools can vary between manufacturers and models, so an investigator must confirm what the specific device actually captured and how it was validated before relying on it.
How does EDR data complement physical evidence such as skid marks?+
EDR readings give precise pre-impact speed and driver input values, while skid marks and crush analysis provide independent physical corroboration; agreement between the two strengthens a reconstruction, and disagreement flags a data or interpretation issue to resolve.
Related terms
- Braking Mark
- A continuous black skid produced when wheels are fully locked under braking and the tyre slides on the road. Length plus drag...
- Drag Factor (μ)
- The effective coefficient of friction between the tyre and the road surface during a braking event. Used in the skid-mark speed formula....
- Gouge Mark
- A scrape or trench cut into the pavement when a metal component (frame, axle, undercarriage) strikes the road during or after impact....
- Paint Transfer
- Layers of paint left on a struck vehicle, pedestrian's clothing, or roadside object during contact. The layer sequence, ordered from primer outward,...
- Yaw Mark
- A curved, striated tyre impression produced when a vehicle slides at an angle to its direction of travel during a steered or...