MELAKA: The Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) has introduced three safety guidelines for electric vehicles (EV) to improve EV safety management.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the three guidelines are the Safety Guide for Road Users and Public Concerning Electrified Vehicle Incident Management (MyEVIM), the Assessment Protocol for High Voltage Electric Vehicles and Guidelines for Electric Vehicle Crash Testing Laboratory Safety.
"Although the adoption of EVs in Malaysia is still at an early stage and not yet on a large scale, these vehicles are gaining popularity. Currently, we have tens of thousands of EVs on the road, so these guidelines are an essential and pioneering effort.
"This approach is straightforward for the public to understand, particularly for initial steps to take in case of accidents or rescue operations as there are risks of explosions, electric shocks or fires," he told reporters after launching the EV safety guidelines at the Miros PC3 Tiang Dua facility in Ayer Molek here today.
He added that these guidelines will also be shared with Asean nations as Miros is a leading vehicle testing centre regionally.
"We hope regional road safety authorities can collectively apply these guidelines to benefit society.
"Since these guidelines are publicly accessible, they can be viewed in infographic form by scanning a QR code available on the Miros, Transport Ministry and Road Transport Department's websites," he said.
Loke added that the ministry would continue collaborating with international bodies and car manufacturers to enhance the safety level of electric vehicles in the region.
"We are aware that countries like Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam are actively developing their EV sectors. We welcome this cooperation, especially in safety aspects.
"The Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry is also working hard to attract investments for EV assembly in Malaysia.
"At the same time, we must strive to maintain excellence as a regional testing centre, which requires demonstrating results, commitment and credibility," he said.
