Verizon showed off an example of what the police cruiser of the future might look like at the 2022 National Sheriffs’ Association conference this week. The company calls the cruiser a Mobile Utility Technology Transport (MUTT).
The prototype came from the Verizon Frontline unit. Frontline is the company’s network and technology for the public safety market. Verizon first introduced the Frontline name about 15 months ago.
The MUTT, a refurbished Chevy Tahoe, was developed by the Verizon Frontline Response Team with input from a number of public safety agencies. It is designed as a concept vehicle, much like those at auto shows.
The MUTT includes connectivity via the Verizon LTE, 5G Nationwide and 5G Ultra Wideband networks. Capabilities also include Mission Critical Push To Talk (MCPTT), General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) and Land Mobile Radio (LMR). Verizon plans to add satellite connectivity in the future.
The vehicle also has a built-in kit enabling it to deploy a drone to provide first responders on the scene of an emergency with situational awareness or to stream video in near-real time back to an Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
There are two routers in the MUTT, which according to Verizon, enables public safety to use one for video, such as that streamed from a bodycam or drone, and the other for remaining communications needs. Two laptops, a tablet, a smartphone, a printer and an onboard server are also included.
“Verizon Frontline’s MUTT will be able to serve as a mobile, dedicated private network, and will help ensure first responders on the front lines have access to the secure, reliable mission-critical communications capabilities they need, when they need them most,” Verizon said in its press release.
According to the release, Verizon is exploring potential use cases for the MUTT or a fleet of similar vehicles.
Joan Engebretson contributed to this report.
