The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) takes note of today’s vote in the European Parliament on eCall, a system designed to automatically alert emergency services in the event of a road traffic accident or collision.
“The automobile industry is committed to safety,” said ACEA Secretary General, Erik Jonnaert. “eCall is one of many developments designed to limit the effects of road accidents, and the industry has supported it from the outset.”
For eCall to work, three things need to be ready simultaneously:
- The devices need to be fitted to cars and vans;
- The equipment to receive and process the call – the Public Service Answering Points – must be ready in all member states; and
- The mobile network coverage needs to be in place.
Considering the member states’ requirement for working infrastructure to be in place, the target date of October 2015 is very ambitious. “It would be of no use to have cars and vans equipped with eCall if the EU-wide infrastructure is not ready and able to receive eCalls,” explained Mr Jonnaert.
Regarding the complex issue of data protection, vehicle manufacturers are committed to protecting their customers’ privacy. Jonnaert: “At the end of the day, we cannot forget that the primary purpose of eCall is safety, so the right balance between protecting data and saving lives must be ensured.”
