Push to Talk between test drivers and rescue teams

“To be able to handle a fleet of road rescue vehicles and personnel effectively and safely we are dependent on a reliable and secure communication solution. We have been using the GroupTalk Push to Talk service since 2018. The availability and flexibility of the service is crucial for our operations. In addition to our daily operations, we use GroupTalk on special occasions, such as the electrical vehicle road- and range tests. To manage these road-tests, we take advantage of GroupTalks flexible license model enabling us to have a dialogue between test-drivers and our rescue team.”

Says Jan-Petter Schøyen, Operations Manager NAF SOS Veihjelp AS.

GroupTalk at El Prix 2024

On January 31, 2024, the Norwegian Automobile Federation (NAF) concluded its El Prix event, testing the range of dozens of electric cars (EVs).

The El Prix is described as the world's largest EV range test, held once in winter and once in summer. The electric cars were tested on Norway's roads in temperatures ranging from -2° to -10℃ (14° to 28℉), in addition to windy and rough weather conditions.

In the morning of the test, electric cars are fully charged and travel together on the same day, along the same route, under the same conditions for fairness. To measure the full range of each electric car, the cars are driven until the battery is depleted. Afterward, the electric cars receive assistance from SOS International Norway to return to the starting point.

To allow organizers and drivers to coordinate, call for assistance, and send reports to each other during the range tests, an easy and reliable communication solution is required. For test drivers and rescue teams from SOS International Norway to work together safely and efficiently, test drivers need to be able to call rescue teams when the battery is depleted and assistance is needed.

This is where GroupTalk comes into the picture. By using Push to Talk on their smartphones, everyone involved in the El Prix can easily talk to each other in groups or private by a push of a button in the GroupTalk app. GroupTalk users can send text messages, share statuses and their GPS position, and much more.

During the tests, a newcomer stole the spotlight, with a range significantly less affected by the cold conditions compared to other electric cars. To learn more about the results from the tests of the electric vehicles click here. 

Norwegian Automobile Federation (NAF) is the largest interest and consumer organization in the Nordic region, with close to 500 000 members - equivalent to approximately 25% of all vehicle owners in Norway.

SOS International is one of the leading assistance organizations in the Nordic region. From alarm centers in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland, SOS International provides acute assistance all over the world, night and day, all year round.

Images: The 2024 Winter El Prix / Source: NAF