HENDERSONVILLE, NC (April 14, 2022)- Lighting technology company HiViz Lighting, Inc has upped the ante on safety and smart lighting with an upgrade of its FireTech® BG2 Lighting system to digitally alert drivers of the presence of on-scene emergency vehicles and improve slow down, move over compliance.
With the number of distractions in passenger cars on the rise, it’s evident that a new technology has to come along to disrupt the pattern of drivers crashing into parked fire apparatus (and first responders working in the roadway). For years, people have envisioned a technology that could notify a driver inside their vehicle when a fire truck or ambulance is approaching. There’s been all sorts of tech suggested, from radio connected devices to complicated DSRC short range sensors, but with the advent of the modern “connected” automobile, the clear pathway forward is cellular.
Today, HiViz is helping to bring this vision into the real world through a partnership with connected safety service provider HAAS Alert. Harnessing HAAS Alert’s partnerships with forward-thinking automotive manufacturers like Jeep, Ram, Dodge, and Chrysler and mobile traffic and navigation platforms, HiViz is enhancing a variety of its new products with HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud digital alerts. A digital alert is a message or notification in the vehicle’s in-dash infotainment system or driver’s mobile phone that alerts the driver of the presence of an emergency vehicle. Each auto manufacturer and navigation application can implement alerts in their own way (e.g., tone, message, haptic seat vibration, etc.).
Sam Massa, Founder and CEO of HiViz Lighting, Inc, says “If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that warning lights alone will not prevent collisions with stopped emergency vehicles. There are numerous systems that can augment lighting with slower or more synchronised blinking flash patterns, but even as we enter and innovate in that market, we know the studies point to Safety Cloud digital alerting as the pathway to the distracted driver and the CAVs (Connected and Autonomous Vehicles) we share the roadway with today.”
HiViz Lighting Inc is debuting a variety of systems at FDIC 2022 that integrate seamlessly with the Safety Cloud digital alerting platform. One system is called the “BG2 Smart Lighting System” and consists of an array of modular light fixtures which can be installed along the perimeter of an emergency vehicle and act as scene lights, warning lights, and smart whole-apparatus traffic directors. The new addition to that system is a control panel that triggers the digital alerts. “The coolest part about this new control panel,” Sam said, “is that it doesn’t just send ‘on-scene’ information. It allows the operator in control of the incident to press a physical button to tell traffic which direction they want them to go, and through Safety Cloud, transmits that specific human-validated function to drivers.” Sam went on to explain that this differentiation is instrumental in sending useful data to manufacturers of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles.
HiViz is committed to improving safety on roadways, and will be standardizing digital alerting as a key feature offering of all future warning light products.
Cory Hohs, Founder and CEO of HAAS Alert, says “Partnerships and integration with manufacturers like HiViz are extremely important to our customers and our company. Safety Cloud offers these manufacturers a safety-critical gateway to the automobile, and enable innovators like HiViz to communicate with millions of drivers around the world.” Safety Cloud comes standard on most new fire apparatus produced in North America today.
In addition to all the new connectivity features, the new FireTech BG2 Lighting interface panel simplifies a seemingly complex system of lights and nodes with a single system manager and button panel that controls the entire system. Commenting on the new layout, Sam said: “The feedback from the customers was that the old interface was too complex to turn the system on. We believe that efficiency is key in emergency situations, so we developed this user interface panel that is easier to use and will improve safety for motorists and first responders.”
About HiViz Lighting, Inc
HiViz Lighting is on a mission to help first responders work more safely and effectively after dark, so they can save lives. They are known historically as the leading provider in extreme duty scene lighting technologies, and have recently expanded in to warning lighting and other software products. Many employees of HiViz are either active or retired first responders themselves, and their experience in the field allows them to share a unique prospective when discussing methods and strategies for building or improving emergency vehicles. Learn more at www.hivizleds.com
About HAAS Alert
HAAS Alert’s mission is to build lifesaving mobility solutions to make vehicles and roads safer and smarter. Our vision is a connected, collision-free world where everyone gets home safely. HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud vehicle communication network delivers digital alerts from emergency responders, roadway fleets, and other transportation assets and hazards to nearby drivers, vehicles, and infrastructure. Learn more at haasalert.com.
For further information, visit: https://hivizleds.com/product/bg2.