European supplier body, CLEPA, has welcomed proposals to make automatic emergency calls mandatory in the case of road accidents from 2015, with the measures potentially saving up to 2,500 lives per year.
The European Commission idea would see the ‘eCall’ system automatically dial 112 – Europe’s single emergency number – in the event of a serious accident.
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It communicates the vehicle’s location to emergency services, even if the driver is unconscious or unable to make a phone call.
“The development of harmonised provisions for an interoperable EU-wide eCall is a priority action,” said CLEPA CEO, Jean-Marc Gales. “It is difficult to accept road deaths and injuries when effective safety technologies are available at affordable prices.”
The draft legislation will ensure from October 2015, all new models of passenger cars and light duty vehicles would be fitted with 112 eCall and infrastructure would be created for the receipt and handling of eCalls in emergency call response centres.
CLEPA says last year, 28 000 people were killed and 1.5m were injured on European union roads, with road fatalities becoming the main cause of death among young people aged 15 to 29 years.
“These figures must be and can be reduced,” said Gales. “It is essential EU member states agree on the specifications as soon as possible and provide the necessary infrastructures to allow field testing of the EU harmonised system before the rollout date of the service.”
Automotive suppliers have developed eCall systems with associated services that now operate on vehicles (TPS). When a TPS system cannot be used, the vehicle driver should be able to use the Pan EU eCall system.
In practice, Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) should be able to communicate with the Pan EU eCall service and the TPS providers alike.
CLEPA also says the in-vehicle eCall architecture should be open for implementation with different services, allowing consumers freedom of choice and open, non-discriminatory access by independent operators.
“Europe has an established leadership in safety innovations and technology,” said Gales.
“It is in our common interest to keep this leadership creating at the same time value and jobs.”
