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South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) was the first ambulance service in Europe to deploy HAAS Alert‘s Safety Cloud digital alerting system across its fleet, establishing a new standard for connected vehicle safety in emergency services.
Since going live in December 2024, SECAmb‘s fleet of over 600 ambulances has been transmitting real-time alerts to motorists across Kent, Sussex, Surrey, and North Hampshire through navigation apps including Waze and Apple Maps. In the year since deployment, the system has already generated approximately one million in-vehicle alerts through Škoda vehicles alone, following the Czech manufacturer’s integration of Safety Cloud into its Traffication safety app earlier this year.
The partnership between HAAS Alert, SECAmb, and ACETECH – the Trust’s smart control, power management, and telematics provider – shows how much you can do with the right systems already in place. Because ACETECH’s cloud platform ties everything together, SECAmb was able to switch on HAAS Alert’s digital warnings across the whole fleet in just a few weeks. No extra hardware, no long delays – just using the tech they already had to make crews and road users safer, faster.
“Following a successful trial across Kent, Surrey and Sussex, we’re really pleased to introduce the new digital alert system which will help us keep our ambulance staff, patients and communities as safe as possible,” said Huw Watts, Driving Standards Manager for SECAmb.
The system provides drivers with in-vehicle advance notifications of approaching ambulances, before they can see or hear traditional blue lights and sirens. This earlier awareness is creating measurable improvements in traffic flow for emergency vehicles, reducing response times, and establishing safer conditions for both crews and motorists. The technology is particularly effective in challenging scenarios such as heavy traffic, poor visibility conditions, or when emergency vehicles are approaching from blind corners or over hills.
“What we’re seeing with SECAmb is proof that the UK doesn’t need to wait years for connected vehicle safety – it’s here now,” said Gareth Evans, Director of Strategy & Business Development at HAAS Alert. “While others are still discussing standards and running consultations, SECAmb has taken decisive action. They’ve shown that with the right partners and existing infrastructure, any emergency service can deploy digital alerting in weeks. This isn’t about future technology; it’s about saving lives today with systems that are already proven across millions of vehicles. The fact that we’ve delivered a million alerts through just one OEM in under a year shows the immediate impact possible when emergency services embrace innovation rather than waiting for perfect conditions.”
The SECAmb deployment forms part of a rapidly expanding European network. Safety Cloud is now active across Dutch ambulance services, where nearly all ambulances are integrated, whilst in the UK, Avon Fire & Rescue Service became the first European fire service to equip the technology, followed by Surrey Fire and Rescue Service. For SECAmb, the roadmap ahead involves connecting its fleet to traffic signals and smart infrastructure through Safety Cloud, enabling sophisticated coordination between emergency vehicles and road networks – capabilities that are already operational in other regions.
Škoda’s integration of Safety Cloud into its European vehicle fleet has proven particularly significant for extending the reach of emergency vehicle alerts. The manufacturer successfully integrated HAAS Alert’s capabilities, making emergency vehicle alerts available on compatible 2019 and newer Škoda models with active Škoda Connect services – demonstrating that OEM integration can happen at pace when safety is prioritised. This sets a benchmark for other manufacturers considering similar integrations.
The technology joins a broader ecosystem that already protects millions of vehicles globally, with manufacturers including Stellantis, and Volkswagen of America having integrated Safety Cloud capabilities across their fleets.
As more emergency services and vehicle manufacturers join the Safety Cloud network, the UK is witnessing the emergence of genuinely connected, safer roads – not as a distant vision, but as today’s reality. SECAmb’s pioneering deployment has set the standard for others to follow.
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