This article highlights iWave’s approach to EDR solutions, focusing on how regulatory requirements are addressed through a standards-aligned architecture that integrates vehicle network data and sensor inputs. The intent is to present a clear understanding of EDR functionality, compliance considerations, and the value offered by iWave’s EDR solution in meeting current and evolving automotive regulations.
Why Event Data Recorders Matter
An Event Data Recorder helps vehicle manufacturers and fleet operators capture critical information related to vehicle behaviour during an incident.
Key purposes of an EDR include:
- Provide factual data for accident analysis
- Enable compliance with regulatory requirements
- Supports validation of vehicle safety systems
- Improve understanding of real-world vehicle behaviour
Unlike continuous data logging systems, an EDR focuses only on relevant events, ensuring efficient and reliable data preservation.
iWave EDR Solution Overview
iWave’s Event Data Recorder (EDR) solution built on the G26I platform, is designed to address the evolving safety, compliance, and data recording requirements of modern passenger, commercial, and heavy-duty vehicles. The solution aligns with key global EDR regulations, including UNECE Regulation No. 169 for M2, M3, N2, and N3 vehicle categories, UNECE R160 for M1 and N1 vehicles, and the United States 49 CFR Part 563 requirements for passenger vehicles.
High Performance Processing and Data Throughput: The platform is built around a powerful Arm processor capable of handling high data throughput from multiple vehicle CANs and sensor interfaces simultaneously. As standard R169 expects for capturing of data accurately and in real-time, this high-performance processor helps in achieving this.
- Storage Capabilities: The device featuring a high-performance processor, combined with up to 8GB eMMC and expandable up to 16GB ensures multiple events data to be recorded and stored without any loss.
- Multiple CAN Interface: The iWave’s EDR device supports 3 high-speed CAN bus, enabling real-time capture of vehicle ECU signals. This includes brake systems, airbag modules, ADAS, and other controllers. Thereby giving an ability to continuously monitor multiple ECUs data and supports for connection to OBD-II port for retrieval purposes.
- Hardware Robustness & Regulatory Compliance: The device is built to comply with UNECE R100 requirements, ensuring dependable performance during collisions and rugged operating conditions. Additionally, the hardware supports an operating temperature range of –40°C to +70°C, enabling reliable operation across extreme environmental conditions.
EDR Functional Architecture
The iWave EDR device functionality can be divided into three major phases: capturing, trigger detection and storing.
This architecture enables accurate recording of safety-critical vehicle events while maintaining compliance with automotive regulations.
What Vehicle Data is Captured?
iWave’s EDR captures the data elements through CAN and IMU sensors where all CAN data are recorded with sampling rate specified in the (UNECE) Regulation No. R169 (Annex 4) (ex: vehicle speed is sampled at 4 Hz) and IMU data are captured at higher frequency depending on the ODR set. These data helps to create a complete picture of vehicle behaviour, few among them are:
Vehicle Network
Using CAN and J1939 communication protocols, the system captures:
- Vehicle speed
- Brake and accelerator status
- Gear and torque information
Motion & Dynamics Data
Integrated IMU sensors capture:
- Longitudinal and lateral acceleration
- Yaw rate and roll rate
The combination of vehicle network and motion data helps create a comprehensive view of vehicle behaviour during an event.
Intelligent Event Detection
This EDR continuously monitors vehicle conditions to identify safety-critical events. Event detection may be based on:
- Sudden deceleration
- Activation of safety systems
- Last Stop
For detecting the event standard state that the vehicle speed should change at rate higher than 3.25m/s2 for a period of 0.7sec where this is achieved through inbuilt high-G IMU sensors in our EDR device
Once an event is detected based on R169 Section 5.3.1, the EDR ensures that data from both before and after the event is preserved, allowing complete reconstruction of the incident.
Storage of Event Data
The EDR continuously monitors the vehicle for trigger event and automatically preserves data when defined safety events occur. The data are recorded at the intervals specified in Annex 4 of R169(i.e., -20 to +10 seconds covering an event) and all these recorded data is securely logged to the onboard eMMC with high-precision timestamps.
Flexible Data Logging Beyond Regulatory Requirements
In addition to standard regulatory data elements, iWave’s EDR solution supports storage of additional vehicle and system parameters beyond those mandated by regulations. Using a flexible configuration framework, OEMs and system integrators can enable logging of proprietary or application-specific signals.
Configurable Data Elements and Sampling Rates
The solution provides high configurability for defining which data elements are recorded and at what sampling rate. Through configuration files, users can select CAN signals, sensor parameters, or calculated data elements to be captured along with their recording frequency. This flexibility allows deployment across multiple vehicle platforms and regulatory regions.
Power and Communication Failures
iWave’s EDR is designed to be 100% power safe. This is achieved with the support of internal battery, which helps the device to safely store all the logs to the non-volatile memory in case of any power failures in the vehicle and thereby making sure that no data is lost.
Survivability
As the standard R169 refers to R100 for the survivability tests, our EDR device is made compliant with the UN Regulation No.100 Annex 9C for mechanical shock tests. Thereby demonstrating the retrievability of the recorded data from the EDR after the shock test at severity defined in annex 9C.
Data Retrieval
The iWave EDR offers a value-added feature of three CAN interfaces, allowing one of the CAN channels to be used for retrieving stored secure event data logs via connection with OBD-II port and the device also supports for the retrieval directly from the device. Additionally, support for USB, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi is also available, providing multiple retrieval options based on the tools in use.
Standard Compliance
The iWave EDR will be compliant at the device level. For homologation, the responsibility for achieving vehicle-level EDR compliance lies with the respective OEMs, and iWave will provide the required support for the process.
Event Data Recorders are becoming an essential part of modern vehicle safety systems and regulatory compliance strategies. iWave’s EDR solution combines intelligent event detection, CAN and IMU-based sensing, secure data storage, and standards-aligned architecture to support next-generation automotive platforms.
With support for UNECE R169, UNECE R160, and 49 CFR Part 563 requirements, the platform enables OEMs and system integrators to deploy scalable and compliance-ready EDR functionality across commercial and passenger vehicle applications.
