This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
Assessment of the Accuracy of Google Earth Imagery for use as a Tool in Accident Reconstruction
Technical Paper
2015-01-1435
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
Google Earth is a map and geographical information application created and maintained by Google Corporation. The program displays maps of the Earth using images obtained from available satellite imagery, aerial photography and geographic information systems (GIS) 3D globe. Google Earth has become a tool often used by accident reconstructionists to create site drawings and obtain dimensional information. In some cases, a reconstructionist will not be able to inspect the site of the crash due to various circumstances. For example, a reconstruction may commence after the roadway on which the accident occurred has been modified. In other cases, the time and expense required to physically inspect the incident site is not justifiable. In these instances, a reconstructionist may have to rely on Google Earth imagery for dimensional information about the site. The accuracy of Google Earth is not officially documented. To provide a reconstructionist with an estimate of this accuracy, this paper compares measurements made using Google Earth imagery with measurements done by laser theodolite, and laser scanned measurements. Comparisons are made at sites in various states including rural and urban locations. The comparisons show that Google Earth images yield reasonably accurate measurements (RMSE 0.569 feet) over the scale of typical accident reconstruction distances.
Recommended Content
Authors
Topic
Citation
Wirth, J., Bonugli, E., and Freund, M., "Assessment of the Accuracy of Google Earth Imagery for use as a Tool in Accident Reconstruction," SAE Technical Paper 2015-01-1435, 2015, https://doi.org/10.4271/2015-01-1435.Also In
References
- Becek , Kazimierz et al On the Positional Accuracy of the GoogleEarth Imagery TS05I Spatial Information Processing Ipaper no, 4947 May 2011
- Farah , Ashraf et al Positional Accuracy Assessment of GoogleEarth in Riyadh Artificial Satellites 49 2 2014 2014
- Mohammed , Nagi Z. Positional Accuracy Testing of Google Earth International Journal of Multidisciplinary Sciences and Engineering 4 6 July 2013
- Potere , David Horizontal Positional Accuracy of Google Earth's High-Resolution Imagery Archive Sensors 2008 1424-8220 2008
- Scollar , Irwin Google Earth: Improving Mapping Accuracy AARGnews 47 September 2013
- Ubukawa , Taro An Evaluation of the Horizontal Positional Accuracy of Google and Bing Satellite Imagery and Three Roads Data Sets Based on High Resolution Satellite Imagery Center for International Earth Science Information Network March 2013