It warns drivers when emergency vehicles are approaching.
Mobile technology hardware and software have made it possible for vehicles to communicate with one another and the infrastructure. This technology has been around in different forms since the 1970s. Stellantis offers a version that will alert drivers when they are near emergency vehicles. The Emergency Vehicle Alert System (EVAS) will debut at this year’s CES.
Stellantis’ EVAS service will be made available over-the-air for vehicles with Uconnect 4 and 5 in 2018 and later model years. This service is only available in North America. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat and Alfa Romeo vehicles. To access the service, these vehicles will need a $12.99 per month connectivity package. When the OTA software updates start rolling out, connected cars will be able to receive EVAS for free.
EVAS was born out of a petition by employees asking for new technology ideas from management. The Detroit Bureau reports that the idea for the system was created by a Stellantis employee, who couldn’t hear an approaching emergency car, almost resulting in an accident. Haas Alert, a private company based in Chicago, will allow Stellantis access to its Safety Cloud platform to enable safety alerts.
Geofencing and real time data from emergency vehicles are used to notify drivers about approaching emergency vehicles. This gives drivers more time to respond to emergencies safely and effectively. Even vehicles on the opposite side of a divided highway can be ignored by the system.
Stellantis’ EVAS represents just a small portion of the tech potential for the company. The automaker revealed plans last month to concentrate on developing software software for its vehicles. It has a goal of making $20 billion per year from software-enhanced cars by 2030. Vehicle-to-Car and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure communication has been teased for years, and it’s exciting to see the technology being implemented, even if there are privacy concerns.