Volvo app prevents first responders from getting zapped

With an increasing number of electric vehicles (EVs) on the roads, first responders have to learn new sets of skills to keep themselves and others safe in an emergency, including knowing how to recognise the danger of high voltage at an accident scene.

Volvo Group has launched an augmented reality (AR) safety app that helps protect first responders from electrocution when attending to collisions involving electric trucks.

The app delivers instant information from the electric truck to emergency services arriving on the scene to guide them in real-time and ensure safe rescue conditions.

Using a combination of connectivity, camera, sensors, 3D modelling and AR overlays, the app can provide first responders with a detailed view of the vehicle. It offers information on the location of high-voltage cables, battery packs and other key components as well as step-by-step instructions on how to safely shut down the electric vehicle’s power supply in case of an emergency.

Volvo says electric trucks will change the world in terms of making transportation more sustainable but they have high-voltage systems that also require their own set of new safety parameters and routines.

“We recognise the importance of ensuring the safety of first responders who are called to an emergency should an incident with an electric vehicle occur,” says Lars Stenqvist, Chief Technology Officer Volvo Group.

“The new AR app is a powerful tool that can support the emergency services to quickly and safely secure the site, while minimising the risk of injury to themselves and others.”

The Emergency Response Guide app, now available for download free from the Android and the Apple stores, provides safety information for all Volvo Group heavy electric truck brands, including Volvo Trucks, Renault Trucks and Mack Trucks.

The safety app has been developed by a team of experts at Volvo Group’s research & development facilities in Sweden, France and the US. Apart from augmented reality information and 3D models, the app also contains all safety documentation relating to the electric truck, which will be accessible to the app user once the truck is identified.

“The safety app has been tested in a variety of real-world scenarios and has received positive feedback from first responders who have tried it in the field,” says Vincent Barnoux, AR Expert & Business Solution Engineer at Volvo Group.