Partnership between Whelen, GTT expands access to essential technology
August 18, 2021 (Richmond, VA) – Coming soon, first responders will have a new way to deploy industry-leading Opticom™ Emergency Vehicle Preemption (EVP) technology, helping them to save lives and provide better outcomes to the communities they serve.
Police, fire, and EMS vehicles that use the new Whelen Cloud Platform® will now have access to cloud-based, centralized Opticom™ EVP, thanks to a partnership between Whelen Engineering and Global Traffic Technologies, LLC (GTT), the global market leader in traffic signal priority control systems.
The Whelen Cloud Platform is a cloud-based, vehicle communication platform that sends and receives data through cellular networks. First responders can manage vehicle configurations and firmware updates over-the-air, create faster response times with real-time information to pinpoint vehicle locations, and easily organize their fleets and Whelen product information, such as control systems.
Opticom EVP will function as a new feature within the Whelen Cloud Platform, allowing intersection traffic signals to automatically change based on the responding status and priority of emergency vehicles. Similar centralized Opticom deployments have been proven in a growing number of North American communities. Software-based solutions can help to lower costs and simplify maintenance and upgrades.
“Our most innovative customers are looking for solutions that don’t involve duplicative hardware,” GTT’s senior vice president of sale and marketing Terry Griffith said. “Instead, we’re making sure agencies get the most advanced and trusted preemption solution in the most financially responsible manner possible. The partnership and the technologies available enable an agency to fully leverage previous investments by using its existing infrastructure.”
“We’re excited to be working with the industry leader in preemptive technology. This partnership will continue to enhance first responder safety, while paving the way for future possibilities and innovations,” Whelen Engineering Vice President of Sales, Greg Scott said. “This technology further positions us ahead of our competitors as we continue to lead the market into the next generation of officer safety.”
Whelen Cloud Platform equipped vehicles are now capable of placing a request for preemption without additional hardware and in a way that is compliant with the agencies policies for responses. The platform features a live-view map with a web-based interface, allowing users to see their vehicles and whether they are responding. GPS data from the vehicle will pass on information from Whelen’s Vehicle Safety Gateway (VSG) to GTT’s Opticom cloud-based software. This is the complete building block for a centralized architecture on a vehicle.
Already the market leader in emergency vehicle lighting, the new cloud platform from Whelen is the first that also provides centralized preemption – an industry first that no other lighting and control system manufacturer can offer.
“It makes a lot of sense for the market leaders in lightbars and preemption technology to partner on this innovative product,” Griffith said. “Both are essential technologies that help reduce response times, protect first responders and keep the public safe during emergency responses.”
The partnership was unveiled Aug. 16, 2021, at the Police Fleet Expo in Richmond, V.A. A number of attendees were able to see the technology in action during a live Ride and Drive event. Users could preempt a traffic signal while testing out other Whelen products.
More details about the solution can be found at whelen.com/cloud/.
About Whelen Engineering
Whelen revolutionized emergency warning technology with the invention of the first rotating “anti-collision” beacon in 1952. Today, Whelen continues to push the boundaries of innovation with reliable and powerful lights, sirens, control systems, and software all manufactured in America. Whelen encompasses two state-of-the-art facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire, with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space. With quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.
About Global Traffic Technologies
GTT provides a clear path to smarter and safer mobility for communities around the world. For more than 50 years, GTT’s Opticom™ priority control solution has helped increase safety, minimize traffic congestion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while maximizing resource efficiency and performance. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, GTT is the market leader in priority control, having installed more than 180,000 connected devices in over 5,000 municipal, regional and state agencies, including 48 of the 50 largest U.S. cities. To learn more, please visit www.gtt.com.
