Exclusive EV road safety innovation is now available with a free licence

Renault Group is making the Fireman Access patents freely available to the whole automotive industry. Car manufacturers and parts suppliers can now obtain a free licence for this innovation via the open collaborative platform. In return, as part of this collaborative principle, licensees agree that any upgrades will be made available to other members of the community.

"Innovating to improve road safety is part of who we are at Renault. We're particularly proud of the partnership developed with the fire services in recent years. Fireman Access is a practical demonstration of what can be achieved by combining our expertise as a manufacturer with the skills of the men and women who keep us safe every day. Today, I'm delighted to be making this innovation freely available because when it comes to a subject like safety, we need to break down all the barriers. This move is also in keeping with the commitment made alongside the United Nations to make mobility safer all over the world," said Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault Group.

The result of close collaboration between the company and the fire services, Fireman Access, is an exclusive innovation enabling emergency services to put out a fire on an EV at roughly the same time as on a combustion vehicle. From a technical standpoint, an adhesive disc is placed over an opening in the casing of the vehicle's traction battery, effectively sealing it for normal use. If the vehicle catches fire and the flames spread to the battery, the powerful jet from the fire hose dislodges the disc and saturates the cells in water – the only fast and effective way of stopping thermal runaway. This way, a battery fire can be extinguished in just a few minutes, compared with several hours and ten times as much water without this feature. The solution thereby allows firefighters to return to operational readiness more quickly. Seven patents have been filed for this system, which is now fitted on all the EVs and PHEVs sold by Renault, Dacia, Alpine and Mobilize worldwide.

This initiative is the first practical expression of the commitment made by the group to work alongside United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, in raising awareness of road safety globally and deploying technological innovations to save lives on the roads.

As part of this partnership, the group will participate in the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Marrakech until 20 February 2025. This event is an opportunity to turn the focus on the company's historic commitment to road safety. At national level, the event allows Renault Group Morocco to develop closer ties between the expertise of the vehicle manufacturer with the skills of the country's relevant services. It is also an opportunity for the subsidiary to attract attention to the many initiatives undertaken by its Foundation to raise awareness of road safety in schools across the country.