European eCall platform will boost eCall deployment across Europe

14 May 2010

The European eCall platform wants to bring all major stakeholders together to synchronise their activities, which would make the deployment of eCall at national and European level faster.

The platform will also develop the previous work made by the eCall driving Group, PSAPs Expert Group and the European Standardisation Organisation.

Among the participants are representatives of the European Commission, Member States, industry and other major stakeholders who have agreed that ERTICO will chair the platform for two years, supported by a vice chair, which should be a Member State with a one-year mandate.

Many tasks will be co-ordinated to ensure progress on the implementation of eCall across Europe as well as efficient and harmonised deployment of the service. The Platform should allocate responsibilities, adopt decisions by consensus at its plenary meetings and organise compaigns to increase European citizens' awareness of eCall.

The pan-European in-vehicle emergency call system, eCall, automatically calls the nearest Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) in case of a serious traffic accident. It will send a minimum set of data (MSD) related to the accident location, time and direction of the vehicle.

Evaluations show that 2,500 lives could be saved in the EU every year and 15% of serious injuries bewared if all European cars were equipped with eCall.