Collision avoidance is the first major concern that comes to mind when considering the dangers of driverless cars, but U.S.-based company Drivent, which has just announced that it is certified to test autonomous vehicles in Washington state, has been working on the other less apparent hazards. The little-known company has been secretly beavering away at a host of different autonomous-driving technologies, and it has just emerged from the shadows because it’s almost ready to come to market and is looking for industry partners.

Drivent’s proprietary technology is directed at fire protection, communication systems, and features that optimize the user experience. There are, for example, around 168,000 vehicle fires a year in the U.S. and Drivent is developing technology that will detect and respond to a fire in an autonomous vehicle, causing the vehicle to stop and allow its passengers to escape. Without such technology, an autonomous vehicle could continue, driving leaving its passengers to be engulfed by flames and smoke.

Drivent is also working on technology that will enable police officers to interact with passengers and bring a self-driving car to a halt. With police officers in the U.S. alone pulling over more than 50,000 vehicles per day, that could make the life of cops all around the world a lot easier.

Drivent is hoping that its technology, currently covered by eleven issued patents, will be picked up by larger players in the autonomous vehicle market for integrating into their vehicles. “Our solutions aim to overcome barriers to widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles. We believe that road safety is an imperative global issue, and we are eager to partner with automakers around the world to pave the way for mass adoption of autonomous vehicles,” explains Andy Froberg, project manager and founding team member of Drivent.