Third-Party Vehicle Data Collection for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Analysis

Abstract

Logs of vehicle controller area network (CAN) bus traffic supplemented by accelerometer and GPS data can provide valuable information about the use and operation of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to the broader safety research community. Although CAN bus message codes are often manufacturer-specific, third-party libraries provide partial decoding of messages from many vehicle models, which can be augmented by reverse-engineering additional signals. This study explored the value of CAN bus, accelerometer, and GPS data that were logged on a variety of light vehicle models with an emphasis on availability of lane keep assist/lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. This study demonstrated that in-vehicle ADAS variables such as system on/off status and whether the system is actively controlling the vehicle could be determined on a variety of vehicle types. Associated control variables such as steering wheel angle, gas pedal state, and brake pedal state could also be determined from most vehicles tested. CAN messages, together with roadway features identified via GPS location, can provide a richer understanding of ADAS efficacy. Comparisons of message structure between models may also inform standardization efforts for electronic data recorders and telematics.