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Big Brother: Select Ford Vehicles Now Supported in Vetronix's New Crash Data Retrieval Software

    SANTA BARBARA, Calif.--March 11, 2003--Three years after Vetronix's groundbreaking introduction of the Crash Data Retrieval system, vehicle coverage has expanded to include select 2001 and later-model-year Ford vehicles.
    Vetronix Corporation develops and manufactures the Crash Data Retrieval (CDR) system used by law enforcement, accident reconstructionists, the insurance industry, vehicle manufacturers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to download and display recorded crash data from vehicles involved in a collision.
    The first version of the CDR system was developed in cooperation with General Motors and contained software capabilities for General Motors vehicles only. This latest software release, developed in cooperation with Ford Motor Company, allows the CDR system to communicate with most of Ford's advanced Personal Safety System equipped vehicles -- those of greatest interest to safety researchers. Future releases are expected to expand coverage to additional 2001 and later-model-year Ford products. In the event of an accident, data may be recorded on the vehicle's air bag module. The CDR system collects that information, interprets relevant portions, and presents it in easy-to-understand graphs and tables. By allowing real-world vehicle crash data collection from their vehicles, GM and Ford continue to demonstrate their support for automotive safety design research.
    Previously, accident investigators relied on eyewitness accounts, tire skid marks, and vehicle damage to understand what occurred in a crash. However, eyewitness accounts are not always available, skid marks are frequently absent with new antilock brake systems, and vehicle damage can be misleading in multi-vehicle collisions. Now, using new CDR technology from Vetronix, investigators can download data from the vehicle to help determine what happened in an accident. The CDR system has greatly improved the speed and accuracy in reconstructing accidents. And now, with the addition of select Ford vehicles, the value of the CDR system has increased significantly.
    "Vetronix is pleased to be working cooperatively with Ford to provide this valuable information to CDR users," said Jim Zaleski, president of Vetronix Corporation. "The CDR system is an incredibly simple way to access the information stored in the vehicle's air bag module."
    Mr. Zaleski added, "The CDR system allows you to collect objective, accurate data on crashes to enhance reconstruction analysis. This has opened the door to a new generation of understanding automobile accidents." The CDR system has also allowed vehicle safety researchers access to greatly-expanded crash data.
    Vetronix Corporation, based in Santa Barbara, California, was established in 1984 and currently serves the automotive OEM, fleet, and aftermarket sectors. More than 40 percent of all new vehicles worldwide are serviced at the dealership level using Vetronix's diagnostic products. The company is focused on innovations in advanced automotive diagnostics and next-generation telematics solutions. Vetronix also offers integration of its telematics solutions with its clients' enterprise business systems through a partnership with IBM. Vetronix products are distributed in 45 countries, with software and manuals translated into 27 languages.