This new technology could save your life if your vehicle ends up in the water
New technology to help drivers escape if their vehicle becomes submerged in water, has been developed by a company that works with the startup incubator Communitech in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.
Automatic Window Opening Systems (AWOS) Technologies created the vehicle escape system that automatically lowers windows and connects to emergency services, assisting drivers and passengers with getting out safely.
A water rescue can be much more complicated when it involves a vehicle.
“What we’re finding now is more and more car manufacturers are making laminate glass as part of the door-window infrastructure,” explained Jim Petrik, the fire chief for Guelph/Eramosa Township. “What the challenge with that is, when we go to break the glass, it doesn’t shatter.”
The pressure from water pushing against a car can make it near impossible for the windows to open. And if the electrical systems malfunction, the windows may not work at all.
“If you have power-operating windows, which most vehicles have these days, sometimes that might not be operational,” added Petrik.
But AWOS co-founder Sabrina Percher said her company’s technology can prevent a vehicle from becoming a sinking trap.
“As soon as the vehicle hits the water, it will automatically lower windows within five seconds to allow people to safely exit the vehicle and call emergency services for help,” she explained.
A demonstration video shows the windows opening when the vehicle hits the water, and the driver is able to exit within eight seconds of impact.
The system is installed where the water would reach first – the heavy engine compartment. The technology is compatible with conventional, hybrid and electric vehicles and the smart sensors detect whether the vehicle is submerged upright or upside down.
If the vehicle lands upside down in the water and its windows are closed and remain intact, it will right itself by rolling to an upright position. With a built-in multi-axis inclinometer, AWOS recognizes inversion and delays the opening of the windows until the vehicle is in the upright position.
All of it is borne out of a personal story from Percher.
“When I was living in Saudi Arabia, my husband got caught in a flash flood. And I’ll never forget that phone call… to tell me that he was stuck in the car and that the water was rising,” she recalled.
Her husband survived but ever since, Percher has been focused on coming up with this lifesaving solution.
AWOS hopes it can become a safety standard system in vehicles within the next three to five years.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Trump hush money trial: Play-by-play on Day 2 of Stormy Daniels testimony
Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand for a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump's hush money case continues in Manhattan.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
B.C. wildfires likely to spread with weekend temperatures expected to soar, province says
Wildfire and emergency management officials in British Columbia are urging residents to be prepared for increased fire activity as temperatures are expected to soar above 30 C in parts of the province this weekend.
Wilfrid Laurier football player drafted despite only playing 27 games in his entire life
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.