eCall - Emergency Response for Vehicles

In 2003 the European Commission launched the eSafety initiative, which included eCall as a key element. The aim was to develop and implement intelligent vehicle safety systems. Fast-forward to 2005 and the European Commission, along with industry stakeholders, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to deploy eCall across Europe. The principle behind eCall is very simple (even if the benefits behind the main objective are much more varied); to help those involved in a collision, especially if they are incapacitated. It was mandated for all new cars in the European Union from 31 March 2018.

How does eCall work?

The system can be simplified into three parts:

1. In-vehicle systems
2. Communications infrastructure
3. Call handling

What in-vehicle systems are required for eCall?

The eCall system integrates several technologies:

• GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System): Utilised for precise location tracking, essential for pinpointing the exact location of an accident.
• Telecommunications: GSM (2G) and UMTS (3G) as the telecoms infrastructure for eCall. Bandwidth has not been a significant issue due to the lightweight nature of the minimum set of data (MSD) that the communication module transmits in the event of a collision to the receiving call centre, Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs).
• In-vehicle data: The system is connected to the vehicle's CAN bus via a data recorder, meaning that it has a secure connection to all relevant vehicle sensors. This ensures that the system can reliably detect a collision and then access and transmit the information required for the MSD.

The MSD includes:

• Precise GPS coordinates
• Time of incident
• Vehicle identification number (VIN)
• Direction of travel
• Vehicle type and fuel type

What types of communication Infrastructure are needed for eCall?

eCall currently utilises GSM and UMTS cellular networks to facilitate data transmission and voice communication between the vehicle and PSAPs. In either case, the call to the PSAP includes both the MSD and a voice call. If the signal strength is too weak, the MSD is prioritised over the voice call.

Upon detecting a significant collision, eCall automatically initiates a call to the nearest PSAP, transmitting the MSD and establishing a voice link between the vehicle occupants and emergency responders. This dual-mode communication ensures that vital data is conveyed even if the occupants are unable to speak.

Occupants can manually activate eCall by pressing a designated button, allowing them to request assistance in situations where they feel endangered but no collision has occurred.

What is the significance of call handling with regards to eCall?

PSAPs are the primary recipients of eCall data and voice communications. The handling of these "calls" only differs from 112 voice calls in the sense that the data transmitted goes to trained handlers who can assess the situation and dispatch appropriate emergency services in the event that the vehicle occupants cannot speak to the handler.

The European Emergency Number Association (EENA) oversees PSAP standards to ensure uniform response protocols across the EU.

There are also third-party PSAPs, operated by private companies, that offer additional services such as vehicle tracking and theft recovery. These PSAPs act as intermediaries, forwarding eCall information to public PSAPs in emergency situations.

What has been the impact of eCall?

Reduced Response Times: Studies by ERTICO, EENA, and HeERO indicate a reduction of response times by 50% in rural areas and 40% in urban areas.

Cost Savings: While perhaps a strange "benefit" to correlate to an emergency service, by improving the efficiency of emergency response, eCall has the potential to reduce healthcare costs due to the faster response times decreasing the severity of injuries, leading to lower medical expenses and quicker recovery times for accident victims.

Has there been any deployment challenges?

The deployment of eCall has faced several challenges, including:

Interoperability: This was overcome through a combination of telecommunication standards developed by ETSI and CEN for eCall (EN 16062, EN 16072, and EN 16454), EU compliance mandates, and multi-network (i.e., GSM and UMTS) compatibility.

Data Privacy: This was addressed by implementing operating protocols that ensure the MSD transmitted holds very little personal data, and that the data, post-handling by the PSAP, is either anonymised or deleted.

So what does the future hold for eCall?

eCall is very much here to stay, and indeed is being further developed to provide more capabilities and benefits to users with notable developments including:

The integration of eCall with ADAS technologies, such as automated braking and collision avoidance systems, can further enhance vehicle safety. These systems can provide additional data to PSAPs, offering a more comprehensive understanding of accident scenarios.

Ongoing advancements in telecommunications, such as the rollout of 5G networks, can enhance eCall's functionality by enabling faster data transmission and more reliable connections. Indeed, Next Generation eCall (NG eCall) is already in discussion/development, not least as Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are phasing out 2G and 3G networks and NG eCall is being proposed to be based on the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) of 4G/5G networks.