Positional Accuracy of Portable GPS Devices during Different Ride Stages
2022-01-0992
03/29/2022
- Event
- Content
- GPS devices can produce a wealth of data about cyclists’, scooterists’, and other riders’ road paths and route usage. However, prior research has demonstrated that GPS positional accuracy is less reliable for more nuanced roadway positioning, such as which lane a vehicle occupies, as well as within-lane movements, such as acceleration and deceleration. This limitation presents a substantial challenge for crash reconstructionists that may have access to GPS data and require second-by-second positional accuracy to determine such nuanced maneuvers and vehicle positioning in their analysis. The purpose of this study was to examine the positional accuracy of several GPS units during three different ride stages: acceleration, deceleration, and constant speed. The same devices were also tested for stationary accuracy, power cut-off, and simulated impact scenarios. To obtain precise data from GPS units, tests were performed with an electric scooter ridden in rural landscapes with clear skies. Location data from the portable GPS devices were compared to the electric scooter’s position obtained from photogrammetry methods based on the video that was recorded by DJI Mavic 2 drones during testing. It was found that each GPS device produced slight differences in positional accuracy and that positional accuracy itself varied across the different ride stages. These findings can help crash reconstructionists quantify the accuracy of these devices’ GPS data for consideration in their forensic analysis.
- Citation
- Desai, E., Suway, J., Engleman, K., and Vega, H., "Positional Accuracy of Portable GPS Devices during Different Ride Stages," SAE Technical Paper 2022-01-0992, 2022, .