20-Jun-2019
How the automotive emergency call service eCall works
The emergency call button (usually red) on the dashboard is required for all vehicles sold in the EU after March 31, 2018, although some models had it even earlier. It triggers a call to the standard European emergency number 112. This could be provoked due to an acute health issue of one of the occupants that requires immediate attention, or due to a serious accident involving another vehicle and witnessed by a third person.
However, an even more important function of the eCall system is to make an emergency call when an airbag has been triggered, which usually only happens when there is a massive impact. Thanks to eCall, no matter where you are in the EU, you can rest assured that the emergency call center will receive all essential information that the emergency response service needs: the location of the accident (geographic coordinates), the direction of travel (important on highways), the time of the accident, the type of vehicle, how the car is powered or the fuel type (important for the fire department), and the number of occupants (based on the number of fastened seat belts or other seat occupancy detection method).
Additional information is optional. A voice connection must be established to enable data transmission. Using this connection, the operator can converse with the occupants if they are able to talk. Other insights can also be gained from the audio console.