AI Prevents EV Fires: Alchera's Early Detection Solution

Amidst the surging increase in electric vehicle (EV) fires and an urgent need for innovative solutions to protect lives and property, Alchera, a vision AI specialist, is gaining attention as it introduces its EV fire early detection AI solution to the domestic market. This technology performs early smoke detection, which was impossible with existing thermal cameras, more than 40 minutes faster, and is expected to secure a golden time in the event of a fire, enabling rapid initial response. Alchera already proved its technological prowess by successfully commercializing 'FireScout,' an AI solution for early wildfire detection, in the US and Australia in 2021. The EV fire detection solution developed based on this technology has completed its first phase of development and is set to officially enter the domestic market starting next month. With EV fires surging by 325% in the last 5 years, emerging as a significant social issue, an analysis by the Seoul Metropolitan Fire & Disaster Headquarters indicates that EV fires take approximately 40 minutes from battery temperature rise and off-gas emission until ignition. Therefore, immediate response through early smoke detection is emerging as a critical key to minimizing damage. Alchera's AI solution clearly overcomes the limitations of thermal cameras, which can only detect fires after vehicle ignition. In addition to easy integration with existing CCTV systems, it can monitor up to 30 vehicles simultaneously per camera, maximizing efficiency and cost-effectiveness in deployment and operation. In fact, Alchera's survey results show that 55.7% of respondents consider EV fire stress "serious," and cited "constant monitoring and situational awareness" as the most needed improvement (42.6%), supporting the necessity of the solution. In particular, 'FireScout' boasts a high accuracy of 99% by learning from over 10 million wildfire smoke images worldwide, minimizing false alarm rates. Its technological reliability was also officially recognized last year by acquiring Korea's GS Certification Grade 1. Alchera CEO Hwang Young-gyu stated, "As more than half of fires occur in the summer, thorough prevention and response are essential in preparation for the upcoming summer," and expressed his ambition to "actively contribute so that damage from EV fires never happens again."