The VSS was created by mechanic John Quee and utilizes two separate devices that can prevent fuel from igniting when in an accident. There is a fuel shutoff valve and a battery isolation unit, both of which are activated during a crash. It works on the principal that a fire starts with exposed fuel and an ignition source. “In an accident, if you can eliminate either one, then you have successfully prevented a vehicle fire and saved lives," Mr. Quee said when speaking with AutoNews reporters.
In the US alone, it’s estimated that more than 2,000 people die from car fires every year with an additional 1,000 suffering from severe burns. Unfortunately, the VSS system is still in prototype form, but according to its designer, there is “no reason for delaying its inclusion into motor vehicles."