FRS vehicle preference in Brno project

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At the turn of 2020/2021, we finished the installation of C-ITS preference units in 13 vehicles of FRS SMR (Fire Rescue Service of South Moravia Region). We supplied FRS with 15 UCU 5.0V  units altogether. The units are designed to be installed in fire engines and not only there. These units provide absolute preference to fire engines at intersections in Brno. They were installed in all first response vehicles i.e. fire engines, command vehicles, rescue vehicles, and ladder platform vehicles. This means that unit instillation was verified in various vehicle types from cars to heavy vehicles.

The supplied units meet the latest requirements of C-ITS systems, e.g. they use secure communication and they are registered in PKI C-ROADS. The system has been in production for a few months and in our opinion it has proven its usefulness.

First response vehicle equipped with absolute vehicle preference installed at the turn of 2020/2021.

This project was the finish of our long-term cooperation with FRS that began with a test run in 2017. We started cooperating with FRS SMR at the end of 2016 when we were developing the first units with V2X communication (C2X), and we agreed on the FRS vehicle preference parameters. We started the first practical tests in the fall. There are a few pictures that were taken at that time:

Fire engine going through three subsequent intersections. The shots were taken by a vehicle camera and sent as a video to the dispatching in real time in daylight visibility.

These tests were continued by creating “a communication preference hub” when 3 subsequent intersections were included in the preference system. The following double picture shows a FRS vehicle going through an intersection with active FRS preference, and the intersection is cleared with the green light on (left picture). The fourth intersection did not have active preference (right picture) and the vehicle had to go through slowly and in the oncoming traffic line. The time loss was ca 10 seconds.

FRS preference in bad weather conditions – intersection with preference on the left – without preference on the right.

In 2018, we worked on the  RIS II project to use V2X communication for  PT vehicle preference. After that, a unified FRS and PT vehicle preference at intersections was created during the C-ROADS project. A unified preference system based on the C-ITS European standard was created. This combination created a unique and the largest preference system in Europe (ca 750 PT vehicles take part in it), it also included about 100 intersections (90 supplied by the Herman company) and 15 FRS vehicles.

In 2019, 2 first response vehicles were equipped with  UCU 5.0V communication units when new vehicles were supplied. More here.  The article contains a video of the test drive and a video following the picture from Pic3.

New ways of FRS preference validation have been in further development. E.g. one of the development goals was to ensure passage of not only a single vehicle but also a convoy of vehicles. In such a case an RSU unit  at the intersection has to recognize the situation and provide such a preference that the whole convoy of vehicle can go through safely (the first as well as the last vehicle have to go in and out of the given polygon safely). This test was only possible after equipping 15 FRS vehicles with communication (preference) units UCU 5.0V.

Shots of a FRS vehicle convoy going through the intersections in October 2021.

How to conclude?

Equipping 15 FRS vehicles finished one of the phases of building FRS vehicle preference, in this case, on the side of first response vehicles. The next phase will surely consist of spreading preference to all intersections in Brno. We are convinced that this system will ensure safer  and faster passage of FRS vehicles to their destinations and thus it will increase the safety of the citizens of Brno and the South Moravia Region. It is a fact that seconds can often decide about human lives and FRS vehicles can get these seconds by going through intersections safely thanks to preference using V2X. Timely rescue can not only lead to a full-quality life but also to savings by eliminating healing costs.