A Crime Scene Reconstruction for Digital Forensic Analysis: An SUV Case Study

Abstract

The abundance of digital data within modern vehicles makes digital vehicle forensics (DVF) a promising subfield of digital forensics (DF), with significant potential for investigations. In this research, the authors apply DVF methodology to a SUV, simulating a real case by extracting and analyzing the data in the period leading up to an incident to evaluate the effectiveness of DVF in solving crime. The authors employ DVF approach to extract data to reveal evidential information for judicial evaluation and verdict. This data helped determine whether the incident represented an accident or an act of crime. This simulated case and the assumptions supported by the DVF evidence provides a compelling example of how law enforcement agencies can leverage DVF to collect and present evidence to relevant authorities. This form of forensics can assist government in planning for and regulating the deployment of DVF data, the judiciary in assessing the nature and admissibility of evidence, and vehicle manufacturers in omplying with the regulations relating to the harvesting and retrieval of data.