Effective In-Vehicle Acquisition

This paper will describe the development of an in-vehicle data acquisition and analysis system. The problem facing the Vehicle Dynamics Test Section of Ford Motor Company was to replace an antiquated data recorder with a versatile in-vehicle data acquisition system capable of supporting vehicle dynamics testing and development. The following criteria for a system was developed:

• Quick and easy quick software and hardware setup
• Off-the-shelf hardware wherever possible
• User-friendly software
• Flexible
• Open-ended and modular design
• Rugged
• Cost effective

Utilizing the above criteria a number of commercially available systems were evaluated and found to be lacking. Therefore it was decided that a system suitable for vehicle dynamics testing would have to be developed.