By EMS1 Staff
STOCKHOLM — Due to newly developed technology, ambulances and fire trucks in Sweden are now able to override loud music to alert motorists.
The Evam System, developed by students at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, is undergoing trial testing in Stockholm. Developers said the system will give drivers time to safely react to emergency vehicles on the roadway.
“Often drivers have only a few seconds to react and give way to emergency vehicles,” Mikael Erneberg, co-founder of the system, said. “The optimal warning time is at least 10 to 15 seconds.”
The system calculates how much time drivers need to be notified of an approaching emergency vehicle based off traffic levels in a given area, reported The Telegraph. After that, it sends a warning through the vehicle’s speakers, stating, “Emergency vehicle approaching, please give way.”
The system only works when a vehicle’s radio is turned on, but developers said it will reach around two-thirds of vehicles on the road. It will also work via Bluetooth or if a driver is using an auxiliary cable.
“It fulfills three functions: improving accessibility for first responders, improving road safety and make the working environment in transport better for vulnerable professions,” Erneberg said.