OBU Collision Data Retention and Multi-Vehicle Reporting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicular communication systems lack a mechanism to effectively utilize collision-related information for accident investigation, liability determination, and preventive measures.
Innovation Solution
An On-Board Unit (OBU) for vehicles is configured to temporarily store basic safety messages (BSMs) and sensor data for a predesignated period, and upon detecting a collision, sends a report with this stored information to a server. Additionally, the OBU broadcasts a request to other entities for collision-related information, which is then uploaded to the server.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the OBU continuously stores basic safety messages for extended periods, then more collision-related information is available for analysis, but memory resources are consumed and data management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The OBU pre-stores basic safety messages in a circular buffer before collisions occur, so that when a collision is detected, the relevant data is already available for immediate upload. This eliminates the need for complex real-time data collection and management during critical post-collision analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the storage parameter from indefinite retention to fixed-duration storage (e.g., storing messages for a specific time window like 5 seconds before collision). This parameter change optimizes memory usage while ensuring sufficient data is retained for collision analysis, balancing information availability with resource constraints.
2Loss of information
If the OBU uploads all stored basic safety messages after collision detection, then complete collision data is provided for investigation, but communication bandwidth and processing time are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uploading all stored messages indiscriminately, the system extracts and uploads only the specific subset of basic safety messages that are relevant to the collision event. This is achieved by identifying messages within a relevant time window before the collision, reducing upload volume while maintaining analytical completeness.
3Loss of information
If the system requests and collects collision information from multiple surrounding vehicles, then more comprehensive collision scene data is obtained, but communication overhead and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the existing basic safety message infrastructure for multiple purposes: not only for real-time safety applications but also for post-collision investigation. By repurposing the same message format and transmission mechanism, the system avoids creating a separate complex communication protocol while still achieving comprehensive data collection from multiple vehicles.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication device mounted on a vehicle, e.g., On-Board Unit (OBU), communicates collision related information to other road entities, e.g., other vehicles or roadside units (RSUs) or a server, after a collision is detected. The OBU may temporarily store basic safety messages (BSMs) (and optionally sensor data) for a predesignated number of seconds before discarding the BSMs (and optionally sensor data) on a continuing basis. When a collision is detected, the OBU sends a report, e.g., to a server, with the stored BSMs (and optionally sensor data) to a server. After a collision detection, the OBU may send a request to other vehicles to upload relevant collision related information. Additionally, if a first vehicle detects the collision of a second vehicle, the first vehicle may communicate collision related information to other entities and a server.