METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF VEHICLE TECHNICAL EXAMINATION IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS INVOLVING VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MODERN SAFETY SYSTEMS

Abstract

The article examines the specific features of conducting vehicle forensic examinations of traffic accidents involving vehicles equipped with modern active and passive safety systems. The aim of the study is to enhance the validity of vehicle forensic examinations of traffic accidents by refining methodological approaches to their conduct, taking into account the impact of modern active and passive safety systems in vehicles. To this end, the study analyzes the impact of electronic control systems on the occurrence and progression of traffic accidents, on the formation of trace evidence, and on the nature of vehicle damage. Particular attention is paid to the role of automated driver assistance systems, which can significantly alter vehicle behavior in critical situations. This, in turn, complicates the establishment of cause-and-effect relationships during expert analysis. The limitations of traditional methods of automotive forensic examination in the context of intelligent vehicles have been identified. In particular, the insufficient informativeness of classical computational models without accounting for digital data. The feasibility of integrating electronic vehicle data, on-board recorders, diagnostic systems, and telematics modules into the expert investigation process is substantiated. The role of active safety systems in altering vehicle motion dynamics and of passive safety systems in determining the consequences of traffic accidents is revealed. An improved approach to conducting automotive technical examinations is proposed, based on the comprehensive use of traditional calculation methods, analysis of material traces, electronic data, and mathematical modeling tools, taking into account the algorithms of safety system operation. The results obtained are aimed at improving the accuracy of expert conclusions, objectifying the process of reconstructing the circumstances of traffic accidents, and improving the methodological support for automotive technical expertise in the context of modern automotive technology development and the digitalization of the transportation industry.