Citation

Jones IS, Segal DJ. Proc. Am. Assoc. Automot. Med. Annu. Conf. 1974; 18: 155-173.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1974, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Simulation Model of Automobile Collisions (SMAC) computer program was developed to allow highway accidents to be accurately reconstructed by operators without a detailed background of engineering mechanics. This paper is designed to show how the program makes this possible.

A brief summary of how SMAC works is given and the paper then goes on to cite actual cases of highway accidents showing how they can be successfully reconstructed. The sensitivity of the "final reconstruction" to the various program inputs is discussed; this gives an indication of how the operator may adjust these inputs to obtain a "best fit" with the minimum number of iterations.

It is concluded that in general the precision with which an accident can be reconstructed will be limited by the accuracy of the available scene data. To overcome this Calspan is presently developing an accident reconstruction vehicle (CALVAN) to be used in conjunction with SMAC. This will provide a capability of processing and evaluating accident scene data, using an optical measurement system and mini computer which will then be input to SMAC via a radio link with a remote computer. The reconstructed accident will then be transmitted and displayed visually onboard the van.