Improving fire safety for buses and coaches

About 1 % of the world's large transit fleet is reported to be involved in fire-related incidents each year, often putting operators, passengers, valuables and vehicles at risk. Many more fires go unreported.

Current fire suppression systems cannot identify the extent and exact location of a fire, and provide early warning for possible issues or malfunctions. In addition, they are not linked to any of the vehicle's electronic controls, resulting in the inability to stop pouring fuel in case of fire.

Thanks to EU funding, the VULCAN project is developing a fully automated vehicle fire and smoke detection and extinguishing system for buses and coaches. The overall aim is to enhance passenger safety and mitigate the risk of fire.

The VULCAN technology consists of an intelligent response system that is built in to the vehicle's on-board controls. It operates smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.

Project partners developed system specifications and defined safety performance requirements. Work also included the design of a working vehicle smoke detection system and a report that gave the most suitable fire detection parameters for engines.

VULCAN is looking to considerably raise current standards in vehicle fire protection. With its predictive detection technology, it seeks to boost passenger safety and reduce fires by up to 25 %. The European bus and coach fleet, transit authorities and travellers will have peace of mind knowing state-of-the-art technology is on board to quickly and effectively minimise damage if a fire breaks out.