Recently, news reports regarding electric vehicle (EV) fires have become increasingly frequent.

Both internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) and EVs must store energy sources internally—fuel for ICEVs and battery power for EVs. While these sources are stable under normal conditions, mechanical, electrical, or physical issues can instantly turn them into the primary cause of a fire. Especially in enclosed spaces, these fires require professional firefighting intervention, meaning vehicle fires can never be treated as minor incidents.

While the causes and characteristics of ICEV and EV fires differ, they share a common trait: once ignited, they cause extensive damage not only to the vehicle itself but also to its surroundings.

While recent EV fires in underground parking lots have sparked significant social concern, it is also important to remember the 2022 fire involving an ICE truck in the Second Gyeongin Expressway soundproof tunnel, which caused large-scale casualties and economic damage.

[Photo: News headline regarding an electric vehicle (EV) fire, Source: https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/057/0001833255]

[Photo: News article regarding an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle fire, Source: https://imnews.imbc.com/news/2024/society/article/6628433_36438.html]

V2N2X is a communication technology that enables safe and efficient driving by exchanging real-time information between vehicles and their surroundings. As shown in the following scenarios, V2N2X proves its true value in emergencies such as accidents or fires:

• Early Detection & Alerting: When internal sensors detect heat or smoke, the system alerts the driver and immediately notifies nearby vehicles and infrastructure (e.g., control rooms) to initiate evacuations or block incoming traffic.
• Automatic Reporting: It automatically notifies emergency services, providing vehicle details and precise location data using GPS or indoor positioning infrastructure.
• Fire Response: By communicating with infrastructure, it can pre-emptively activate sprinkler systems to suppress the fire before infrastructure sensors even trigger. It also warns surrounding vehicles to maintain distance or avoid the area.
• Ensuring Passenger Safety: In the event of a fire, the system automatically unlocks doors to assist passengers in escaping.

Implementing V2N2X can significantly minimize casualties and property damage. The key benefits in fire response are as follows:

• Rapid Response: Drastically reduces the time between fire ignition and the initial emergency response.
• Accurate Information: Sharing real-time vehicle and fire status prevents confusion, enabling more efficient firefighting and rescue operations.
• Ensuring Passenger Safety: Creates a safer environment for evacuation and protects lives through timely emergency rescue support.

What technical hurdles must be overcome within the V2N2X landscape? To safeguard human life and property, the following two aspects are of paramount importance:

Authentication Systems for V2N2X: To address legal liabilities and accurately identify specific vehicles during incidents, Non-Repudiation—ensuring that neither the sender nor the receiver can deny a communication transaction—is essential. Each vehicle must be issued a security certificate for communication, and infrastructure must be managed securely by trusted authorities to maintain reliability.

Secure Mobility Communication for V2N2X: Security clients should be installed within vehicles to ensure data integrity in coordination with authentication systems. Furthermore, the system must be capable of detecting anomalies even in the event of hacking attempts or external interference.

The V2N2X field faces the challenge of supporting a wide range of vehicles and infrastructure, requiring alignment between automakers, partners, and various public sector requirements. Additionally, solutions must adhere to industry standards while maintaining high technical maturity and open scalability to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology.

To address the diverse challenges arising from the proliferation of electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous vehicles, SaeSol Tech provides solutions that issue, manage, and operate large-scale security certificates for V2X communication environments—including Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I)—via mobile authentication servers and services.

Furthermore, through its V2X PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) security client lineup, SaeSol Tech is leading the migration of the V2X security market. These products securely store communication certificates in vehicle terminals and ensure the stability and integrity required for communication between vehicles and traffic infrastructure.

Dedicated to an accident-free future for all, SaeSol Tech will continue to lead the way in protecting human lives and personal information, reaching beyond autonomous vehicles, EVs, and mobility security.