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Newspress

Everything you need to know about eCall: How your car will soon trigger emergency services automatically

We explain the automated emergency call in-car technology.

ECALL IS A service designed to provide quick emergency response in case of a road accident, anywhere in the EU.

The aim of eCall is to reduce road traffic accident fatalities and related injuries and property loss.

Basically, the eCall system calls 112, the emergency services. The call to 112 can be made manually by vehicle occupants by pressing a button (like the panic button on your house alarm) – or the call can be made automatically by the system if the car sensors detect that a serious accident has occurred.

If the eCall system automatically places the call and there is no audible response from the vehicle’s occupants – for example if they are unconscious – various pieces of information and data are automatically sent to the operator so they can help locate you better.
the exact location of the crash site, the triggering mode (automatic or manual), the vehicle identification number [and] a timestamp

According to the European Commission:

With eCall, emergency services’ response time would be reduced by 50% in rural areas and 40% in urban areas, leading to a reduction of fatalities estimated to be between 2% and 10%, and reduction of severity of injuries between 2% and 15%, depending on the country considered.

Europe’s eCall service will be made mandatory equipment on all new types (new models) of car sold within the European market from April 2018. Based on the European Commission’s Impact Assessment, 100 per cent penetration should be achieved by 2035.

Many car makers including BMW, PSA (the group behind Peugeot and Citroen) and Volvo already have this technology in the newer models. Opel’s OnStar system has an Automatic Crash Response which is its own version of eCall.

READ: 6 cars we’re looking forward to test driving in 2018 >

READ: The difference between zebra and pelican crossings: a simpleton’s guide >

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    Mute Diarmuid
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    Apr 15th 2020, 9:32 AM

    Brexit hasn’t gone away

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    Mute Ale Ceaser
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    Apr 15th 2020, 9:56 AM

    @Diarmuid: The Brexit consequences are our 3rd priority now. After coronavirus – and then sorting out how to pay for the billions it costs!

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    Mute Garreth mc mahon
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    Apr 15th 2020, 10:01 AM

    @Ale Ceaser: and you can’t pay back the billions without sorting brexit, there needs to be solid trade deals so we know roughly where we stand in relation to import/export/ employment.any big changes will cause even more tax and unemployment burden

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    Mute Ale Ceaser
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    Apr 15th 2020, 10:12 AM

    @Garreth mc mahon: We’ll have written an awful lot of cheques before Brexit is sorted!

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    Mute John C
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    Apr 15th 2020, 10:25 AM

    Brexit, Smcexit, That is all so yesterday. It’s a one world struggle now guys. For now, forget climate change, arms limitations, economy downturns, it’s all about beating a tiny little virus. This pandemic should be a wake up call to us all. We will live in a changed world after this is finished.

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    Mute Ale Ceaser
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    Apr 15th 2020, 10:28 AM

    @John C: Sadly that changed world, for Ireland, will include billions more borrowings. Not so much yesterday – but next summer….

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    Mute John C
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    Apr 15th 2020, 10:39 AM

    @Ale Ceaser: Two saying spring to mind……. Money follows money……. and…….. Never waste a good crisis.

    At the end of the day the usual suspects will be winners yet again.

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    Mute Fabio Dillon
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    Apr 15th 2020, 4:45 PM

    @John C: one that hopefully doesn’t rely on China anymore.

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    Mute Sean O Rodaigh
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    Apr 15th 2020, 5:40 PM

    Easy negotiating here!. UK we have no money.EU we have no money. Wanna trade? Ok where do we sign. Done in a few weeks.

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