Chicago startup HAAS Alert, a company that allows emergency vehicles to communicate with nearby drivers when service vehicles are approaching, has landed a contract with the U.S. Air Force.
HAAS announced Tuesday that it has been awarded a Phase I SBIR Contract from the Air Force to identify and develop use cases for the military.
Opportunities include equipping Air Force fleets with the HAAS Alert service, the company said.
Founded in 2015, HAAS helps keep emergency crews and drivers safe by alerting motorists when service vehicles are in the area. With its technology, HAAS Alert can send messages to drivers through their navigation apps or in-vehicle infotainment units. It works with navigation service Waze and auto makers such as Ford and Jaguar Land Rover.
The news comes less than a week after Jiobit, another Chicago-based startup, was awarded a Phase II grant from the Air Force, its third such contract with the USAF. Jiobit has developed a hardware tracking device that uses a combination of GPS and beacon technology to more accurately measure location.
The Air Force deal isn't HAAS Alert's first contract with the U.S. government. Last year it was awarded a $1.1 million contract with the Department of Homeland Security to leverage input from active and retired first responders across the country.
