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 Code of Federal Regulations (Last Updated: November 8, 2024)
 Title 49 - Transportation
 Subtitle B - Other Regulations Relating to Transportation
 Chapter V - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
 Part 563 - Event Data Recorders

  § 563.8 - Data format.  

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  • § 563.8 Data format.

    (a) The data elements listed in Tables I and II, as applicable, must be reported in accordance with the range, accuracy, and resolution specified in Table III

    Table III - Reported Data Element Format

    Data element Minimum range Accuracy1 Resolution
    Lateral acceleration At option of manufacturer At option of manufacturer At option of manufacturer.
    Longitudinal acceleration At option of manufacturer At option of manufacturer At option of manufacturer.
    Normal Acceleration At option of manufacturer At option of manufacturer At option of manufacturer.
    Longitudinal delta-V −100 km/h to + 100 km/h ±10% 1 km/h.
    Lateral delta-V −100 km/h to + 100 km/h ±10% 1 km/h.
    Maximum delta-V, longitudinal −100 km/h to + 100 km/h ±10% 1 km/h.
    Maximum delta-V, lateral −100 km/h to + 100 km/h ±10% 1 km/h.
    Time, maximum delta-V, longitudinal 0-300 ms, or 0−End of Event Time plus 30 ms, whichever is shorter ±3 ms 2.5 ms.
    Time, maximum delta-V, lateral 0-300 ms, or 0−End of Event Time plus 30 ms, whichever is shorter ±3 ms 2.5 ms.
    Time, maximum delta-V, resultant 0-300 ms, or 0−End of Event Time plus 30 ms, whichever is shorter ±3 ms 2.5 ms.
    Vehicle Roll Angle −1080 deg to + 1080 deg ±10% 10 deg.
    Speed, vehicle indicated 0 km/h to 200 km/h ±1 km/h 1 km/h.
    Engine throttle, percent full (accelerator pedal percent full) 0 to 100% ±5% 1%.
    Engine rpm 0 to 10,000 rpm ±100 rpm 100 rpm.
    Service brake On or Off N/A On or Off.
    ABS activity On or Off N/A On or Off.
    Stability control On, Off, or Engaged N/A On, Off, or Engaged.
    Steering input −250 deg CW to + 250 deg CCW ±5% ±1%.
    Ignition cycle, crash 0 to 60,000 ±1 cycle 1 cycle.
    Ignition cycle, download 0 to 60,000 ±1 cycle 1 cycle.
    Safety belt status, driver On or Off N/A On or Off.
    Safety belt status, right front passenger On or Off N/A On or Off.
    Frontal air bag warning lamp On or Off N/A On or Off.
    Frontal air bag suppression switch status, right front passenger On, Off, or Auto N/A On, Off, or Auto.
    Frontal air bag deployment, time to deploy/first stage, driver 0 to 250 ms ±2ms 1 ms.
    Frontal air bag deployment, time to deploy/first stage, right front passenger 0 to 250 ms ±2 ms 1 ms.
    Frontal air bag deployment, time to nth stage, driver 0 to 250 ms ±2 ms 1 ms.
    Frontal air bag deployment, time to nth stage, right front passenger 0 to 250 ms ±2 ms 1 ms.
    Frontal air bag deployment, nth stage disposal, driver Yes or No N/A Yes or No.
    Frontal air bag deployment, nth stage disposal, right front passenger Yes or No N/A Yes or No.
    Side air bag deployment, time to deploy, driver 0 to 250 ms ±2 ms 1 ms.
    Side air bag deployment, time to deploy, right front passenger 0 to 250 ms ±2 ms 1 ms.
    Side curtain/tube air bag deployment, time to deploy, driver side 0 to 250 ms ±2 ms 1 ms.
    Side curtain/tube air bag deployment, time to deploy, right side 0 to 250 ms ±2 ms 1 ms.
    Pretensioner deployment, time to fire, driver 0 to 250 ms ±2 ms 1 ms.
    Pretensioner deployment, time to fire, right front passenger 0 to 250 ms ±2 ms 1 ms.
    Seat track position switch, foremost, status, driver Yes or No N/A Yes or No.
    Seat track position switch, foremost, status, right front passenger Yes or No N/A Yes or No.
    Occupant size classification, driver 5th percentile female or larger N/A Yes or No.
    Occupant size classification, right front passenger Child N/A Yes or No.
    Occupant position classification, driver Out of position N/A Yes or No.
    Occupant position classification, right front passenger Out of position N/A Yes or No.
    Multi-event, number of event 1 or 2 N/A 1 or 2.
    Time from event 1 to 2 0 to 5.0 sec 0.1 sec 0.1 sec.
    Complete file recorded Yes or No N/A Yes or No.

    1 Accuracy requirement only applies within the range of the physical sensor. For vehicles manufactured after September 1, 2014, if measurements captured by a sensor exceed the design range of the sensor, the reported element must indicate when the measurement first exceeded the design range of the sensor.

    (b) Acceleration Time-History data and format: the longitudinal, lateral, and normal acceleration time-history data, as applicable, must be filtered either during the recording phase or during the data downloading phase to include:

    (1) The Time Step (TS) that is the inverse of the sampling frequency of the acceleration data and which has units of seconds;

    (2) The number of the first point (NFP), which is an integer that when multiplied by the TS equals the time relative to time zero of the first acceleration data point;

    (3) The number of the last point (NLP), which is an integer that when multiplied by the TS equals the time relative to time zero of the last acceleration data point; and

    (4) NLP - NFP + 1 acceleration values sequentially beginning with the acceleration at time NFP * TS and continue sampling the acceleration at TS increments in time until the time NLP * TS is reached.

    [73 FR 2183, Jan. 14, 2008, as amended at 76 FR 47488, Aug. 5, 2011; 77 FR 47556, Aug. 9, 2012; 77 FR 59566, Sept. 28, 2012]