CHICAGO, Oct. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- HAAS Alert, a Chicago-based startup whose mission is to make roadways safer by alerting drivers of emergency vehicles, announced today that it was awarded $1.1M by The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) to advance consumer vehicle safety solutions utilizing cellular technology that would allow approaching emergency response vehicles to warn other First Responders and civilian vehicles on the road.

The announcement comes as car companies have begun to favor Cellular V2X (vehicle-to-everything) communication protocols.

HAAS Alert provides collision prevention technologies and products to First Responders and other municipal fleets. The service streams real-time safety messages to drivers and connected cars via in-vehicle systems and smartphone apps when emergency vehicles are approaching and on-scene.

The contract will allow HAAS Alert to leverage input from active and retired first responders from across the country by engaging the S&T First Responder Resource Group (FRRG). By working with the FRRG, HAAS Alert will have the opportunity to ensure the top-priority needs of the first responder community are met during product development.

"Collisions between First Responders and civilian motorists are at an all-time high and the situation is worsening," said Cory Hohs, CEO of HAAS Alert. "This partnership with DHS S&T, and the FRRG gives HAAS Alert the opportunity to further develop its Cellular V2X technology and bring advanced vehicle safety solutions to US roads, communities and automotive markets more quickly."