Infotaintment Systems Information and Claims Investigation

In-vehicle infotaintment systems allow vehicle users to perform a number of tasks including making/receiving phone calls, send/receive text messages, utilizing navigation, access social media and internet services while driving. Bluetooth technology and/or smartphones can assist drivers to use the capabilities of infotainment systems while driving. Infotaintment system Electronic Control Modules (ECM's) can store information including vehicle information, user data and navigation data which can be useful for forensic investigations and accident reconstruction.

Imagine automobile claims where cell phone usage while driving is suspected, or a vehicle theft or a hit and run where the driver of the subject vehicle states he/she was not near the accident location on the date of the accident. Berla Corporation has developed a tool, known as iVe, which can assist in investigating claims related to vehicle fraud, cell phone use while driving, vehicle theft and other forensic investigations.

The benefits of using iVe include retrieving and analyzing user information and navigation data stored in a vehicle's infotainment system hardware. iVe currently covers a variety of vehicle brands manufactured as early as 2008. Examples of vehicles currently supported by the iVe technology include: Ford vehicles equipped with Sync modules and Navigation Radio infotainment systems, GM vehicles furnished with OnStar modules, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) outfitted with different generations of the Uconnect infotaintment system, Toyotas with Entune systems, BMWs equipped with Car Information Computer (CIC) systems and Volkswagen with Radio Navigation Systems (RNS 510).

Using iVe hardware user data such as phone call and text message history can be retrieved and further analyzed by the iVe software. Also, navigation data with GPS coordinates, physical addresses and/or routes with date and time stamps can be tracked down using iVe; thus, a vehicle's location may be determined at a specific date and time.

Using iVe to acquire and analyze information from vehicles' infotaintment systems can also assist in investigating suspected vehicle fraud, such as Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or odometer readings tampering.

What about a vehicle theft claim? Think of a claimant reporting his/her vehicle was stolen while in his/her private garage with all doors securely locked. It is crucial to establish the legitimacy of this claim. How can iVe technology assist in investigating such a claim? Information on both navigation data and vehicle events such as doors opened/closed, lights on/off and gearshift position can be acquired and examined using the iVe tool; thus, an assessment of the claim can be made to determine its validity. Let's illustrate the benefit of using iVe to investigate the above claim: navigation data retrieved by iVe indicated that on the date and time of the reported theft, the subject vehicle was stationary in a parking lot, not in a private garage as claimed. Also, data analyzed using iVe software indicated that the driver's door was opened for a significant time as opposed to reportedly securely locked. In this particular case, the evidence obtained by using the iVe tool did not support the claimant's description of the incident.

Envision a claim involving a tractor-trailer which was reportedly impacted by an unknown vehicle. The driver of the tractor-trailer claimed that the unknown vehicle struck the rear left of his 53 foot trailer, then fled the scene. The driver managed to identify the unknown vehicle's license plate number which further assisted police to locate the suspect vehicle. Retrieval and further analysis of navigation data with date and time stamps from the suspect vehicle can be used to determine the vehicle's location at the time of the reported collision.

The iVe tool is available to gather a wide range of vehicle and user data to assist forensic investigators and accident reconstructionists investigating the facts in automobile accidents, claims and legal disputes.