8. Another standard for emergency calls: the eCall system

8.1 Operating principle

eCall is a European initiative, based on action plan COM/2008/0886, designed to speed up assistance to motorists in the event of a collision anywhere in the European Union. It is an emergency service based on cellular communications. Vehicles are equipped with a geolocated eCall device fitted with a GSM SIM card. As soon as the device detects an impact (figure 22 ), the vehicle's on-board system automatically transmits a call to the nearest emergency services (112 emergency call center, or PSAP Public Service Answering Point). The call received in less than 4 seconds (under optimum communication conditions) by the emergency services is associated with a transmission...