Accuracy of Mobile of Phone LiDAR on Crashed Accident Vehicles

Apple’s mobile phone LiDAR capabilities can be used with multiple software applications to capture the geometry of vehicles and smaller objects. The results from differing software have been previously researched and compared to traditional ground-based LiDAR. However, results were inconsistent across software applications, with some software being more accurate and others being less accurate. (Technical Paper 2023-01-0614. Miller, Hashemian, Gillihan, Benes.) This paper builds upon existing research by utilizing the updated LiDAR hardware that Apple has added to its iPhone 15 smartphone lineup. This new hardware, in combination with the software application PolyCam, was used to scan a variety of crashed vehicles. These crashed vehicles were also scanned using a FARO 3d scanners, which have been researched extensively for their accuracy. The PolyCam scans were compared to FARO scans to determine accuracy for point location and scaling. Previous research has shown that user variability can be minimal (Technical Paper 2023-01-0614. Miller, Hashemian, Gillihan, Benes.), so one user was utilized to recreate a real-world accident reconstruction scenario. The authors found that the PolyCam software presented similar results to the previously researched software application Recon3d and believe the accident reconstruction community, and other forensic disciplines, will continue to find accessibility and usability with PolyCam and other software that are available.