Brigade Electronics wins safety award for directional warning sound system for EVs and Hybrids

US-based road safety technology company Brigade Electronics has won a CLEPA Innovation Award in the SME Safety Category for its Quiet Vehicle Sounder (QVS).

CLEPA represents over 3,000 companies supplying state-of-the-art components and innovative technology for safe, smart and sustainable mobility, investing over 20 billion euro (Rs 152,880 crore) annually in research and development. The European automotive suppliers employ nearly five million people across the continent.

Brigade states the QVS, which has been in development for over two years, is designed to warn pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users - such as those who are visually impaired - of approaching silent electric and hybrid vehicles.

As electric-powered vehicles are only audible at high speeds they pose a road safety risk to vulnerable road users. When vehicles travel at speeds below 20kph/18.6mph they are almost silent, and the company states research has shown that EVs and hybrids are 37 percent more likely to be involved in pedestrian accidents than conventional cars.

Utilising its multi-frequency patented ‘bbs-tek’ technology, Brigade's QVS creates a highly directional and instantly locatable warning sound at low speeds, which is easily identified as a vehicle. The sound is only heard in the hazard zone, dissipating quickly and cutting out at higher speeds to help minimise noise pollution.

Philip Hanson-Abbott, managing director, Brigade Electronics said: "At Brigade it's our mission to improve road safety, so we are absolutely thrilled to receive this award and be recognised for the important work we do in helping to prevent collisions and save lives. This award is testament to the extensive research and tireless work carried out by our team. We are continuously looking for ways to adapt, develop and innovate, products to make roads safer for everybody. Brigade's Quiet Vehicle Sounder is a welcome addition to our product portfolio and will help to address the issues posed by electric-powered vehicles as they become more commonplace on our roads."