GIDAS Pre-Crash Matrix (PCM)

PCM stands for pre-crash matrix and is a specified format that can be used to describe the phase of a road accident before the first collision (the so-called pre-crash phase). The GIDAS PCM can be used to visualise and analyse the parties involved, their dynamics and the environment.

The PCM was originally developed as an internal format by VUFO in 2011 to provide project partners with pre-crash data for accidents investigated as part of the German In-Depth Accident Study (GIDAS). Version 5.0 of the current format has been defined and published since 2019. Since then, it can be used for any accident or scenario database and is freely accessible.

The pre-crash matrix can be used to store scenarios (e.g. based on accident reconstructions) or data recordings (e.g. from Event Data Recorder (EDR), Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS), Field Operational Test (FOT), ...) in a standardised, structured format. The database created can then be used to analyse and evaluate time-dependent and dynamic driving variables.

The format specification can also be used as a basis for conversion to other formats or driving dynamics solvers.

Frequently used formats:

• OpenDRIVE®
• OpenSCENARIO®
• Road5

• IPG: CarMaker, TruckMaker, MotorcycleMaker
• dSPACE: Automotive Simulation Models (ASM)
• Mechanical Simulation: CarSim, BikeSim

The specification contains the structure, the variables and the corresponding descriptions of the PCM format.

The current GIDAS-PCM format specification, including the available libraries, can be downloaded here as a *.ZIP file:

download

Properties and libraries have so far been prepared for the German transport infrastructure. Other country-specific infrastructure can be stored and used in additional tables.

An example scenario in PCM format can also be downloaded here as a *.ZIP file:

download