In 2016, the Vigo-based company Netun-Solutions began development of its Help Flash product, a form of technology designed to save lives on the road that has already become a leader in V16 signals and signalling solutions in the event of a breakdown or accident.

Help Flash is a clear example of a success story of the Business Factory Auto (BFAuto) programme - promoted by the Xunta de Galicia, the Consorcio de la Zona Franca de Vigo, the Stellantis group and Ceaga - an initiative with the aim of promoting the acceleration and consolidation of specialised automotive projects to transform them into innovative companies that help to fill gaps in the value chain and strengthen the automotive sector in Galicia, as well as increase its international influence.

Jorge Costas, CEO of Netun-Solutions, highlights the importance of being among the projects promoted by BFAuto "because of the capability it has given us of generating permanent and qualified employment. It allows us to have high quality companies in Galicia", he sums up.

Visible from 1 km away

Help Flash is a V16 light signal that complies with the current Road Traffic Regulations and which, from 2021, may replace emergency triangles. The beacon allows drivers to immediately signal their vehicle stopped on the road, without having to get out of the vehicle, and is visible to other road users up to one kilometre away.

It is an autonomous device, powered by a high-performance battery independent of the vehicle, with a three-hour operating time in emergency mode, which guarantees optimum operation even if the vehicle has an electrical failure. Using the Incidence application, the Help Flash Smart version also allows the vehicle to be geolocated and connected to roadside assistance services and insurance companies.

Help Flash represents a revolutionary change in roadside assistance manoeuvres, reducing subsequent collisions during the signalling of vehicles stopped due to an accident or breakdown. This is possible because the driver does not have to leave the vehicle in the event of an accident or breakdown, but simply places the device on the roof of the car without getting out of it.

Help Flash Smart also improves response times in the event of an accident, which translates into a reduced risk of injury and a better assistance service.

The developments patented by the Vigo-based company are in themselves an innovation, as well as highlighting the incorporation of the latest trends in technology into a mass-market product.

 Leaders in the national market

In 2021 they sold more than one million Help Flash devices, making them leaders in the national market. Between 2022 and 2025 the goal is to reach 20 million lights sold. Since its beginnings in 2016, the company has grown from two to more than 20 employees, with a turnover of more than 10 million euros. Among the most important milestones of those experienced so far, as the company's CEO, Jorge Costas, highlights, is the approval in 2021 of the decree that establishes the compulsory nature of the light in Spain from 2026.

Currently their market is in Spain, but they have already presented the project in Portugal and, together with the DGT, they have taken it to the European Parliament where a Commission has committed to study it in detail. They also continue to make progress on new solutions for road operators, cones for signalling road works or cycle routes through a platform connected to the DGT that can send the information to motorway panels or navigators so that it can be reflected in the vehicles themselves.