Hyundai E&C Deploys Multimodal EV Fire Detection System at Headquarters

Hyundai Engineering & Construction has deployed a multimodal artificial-intelligence system designed to detect electric-vehicle fires at its corporate headquarters. Developed in collaboration with Cityi Lab Co., Ltd., the technology integrates three distinct sensor types to identify thermal runaway risks across the entire lifecycle of an incident, from precursor off-gas emissions to visible flames.

The deployment marks an effort to expand comprehensive EV safety infrastructure beyond dedicated charging bays into general parking zones. Conventional detection setups have historically been restricted to specialized charging stalls due to equipment costs, leaving mixed-vehicle parking areas vulnerable to undetected battery failures.

The newly deployed safety net combines off-gas detection, thermal-imaging hardware, and visible-light artificial-intelligence cameras. The off-gas sensor captures specific chemical vapors released during the early stages of battery thermal runaway, providing an advanced warning before visible smoke or high heat materializes.

Concurrently, a surface-installed thermal-imaging sensor monitors the undercarriage of parked vehicles. This unit directly tracks localized temperature spikes originating from the battery pack beneath the chassis, giving security teams precise positional data on abnormal heat generation in real time.

An artificial-intelligence video analysis camera complements the thermal and gas hardware by continuously scanning for visual smoke and open flames, automatically triggering alarms upon detection. By unifying these three data streams, the system aims to eliminate the blind spots inherent in single-sensor configurations.

The integration of off-gas monitoring is what enables safety coverage in standard parking stalls shared by electric and internal-combustion vehicles. Because battery off-gases disperse in confined spaces prior to an overt fire, the system can identify hazards regardless of whether a vehicle is actively plugged into a charging unit.

A representative for Cityi Lab noted that the installation at Hyundai Engineering & Construction's headquarters serves as an operational benchmark for commercializing the technology. Cityi Lab announced plans to scale the deployment of its multimodal EV fire-safety solutions across additional commercial and residential properties following the headquarters rollout.